CS Northridge Pulls Hat Trick as Ball State Does a Pet Trick

David Letterman would have been proud of the way his alma mater, Ball State University, lost a non-conference volleyball match to Northridge Friday night.

Letterman, the host of NBC’s “Late Night” program, would have enjoyed how the Indiana team performed a parody on the comedian’s own Stupid Pet Tricks. Before the match ended, No. 10 ranked Ball State did everything but roll over and play dead, losing 15-7, 13-15, 16-14, 16-14.

But for the Matadors, it was no joke. All-American Chuck English and setter Mike Bird combined for perhaps their best show this season, with Bird making 22 defensive saves.

With the score tied at 13, English put the cap on a potentially disruptive fourth game, making five of his 24 kills in the final six rallies. The Ball State defenders, who tried to stop English’s hitting down the stretch, were left with volleyball imprints on their arms and faces.

“Our offense was kind of slow,” English said, “so our hitting had to come up.”

The Matadors (8-11) made 77 kills and had an overall hitting percentage (.453) that might make top-ranked Pepperdine take notice--almost.

The Cardinals (12-11) lost a point and the momentum when they served out of order early in the first game. CSUN converted that mistake into an 8-0 lead. In that game, the Matadors performed like a powerful blocking team--something it hasn’t been in the past--as John Buffington and Mark Stein turned blocked shots into points.