Ball State University Athletics
Men's Volleyball Suffers 3-1 Setback to No. 13 IPFW
March 18, 2006 | Men's Volleyball
Muncie, Ind. - - Despite four Cardinals collecting double-figure kills, the Ball State men's volleyball team suffered a 1-3 (20-30, 26-30, 30-27, 25-30) setback to visiting No. 13 IPFW Saturday night at Worthen Arena. With the loss, BSU falls to 15-4 (5-3 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association), while IPFW improves to 14-5 (6-2 MIVA).
Ball State entered Saturday's contest looking to snap the Mastodons' 11-match winning streak and avenge a 3-1 loss at IPFW (Feb. 17), which snapped the Cardinals' 11-match winning streak to open the season. However, a season-best 23.5 blocks from the Mastodons - - including 11 in the first game - - helped guide the visitors from Ft. Wayne to their 12th-straigth win.
Nick Meyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller H.S.) and Patrick Durbin (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.) managed to tie for team-high honors with 15 kills, while Evan Berg (Bristol, Wis./Central H.S.) tallied 14 and Matt McCarthy (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.) posted 12.
In the opening set, the Mastodons jumped out to an early 3-1 advantage and never trailed. The Cardinals would get as close at 12-11 on a kill from Zoran Grabovac (Des Moines, Iowa/Hoover H.S.), only to see IPFW score six of the next seven points. IPFW would go on to win the game at 30-20 on a block assists from C.J. Macias and Josh Stewart, the team's 11th block of the game.
The second stanza was played even to the 24-24 mark with 21 total ties and 10 lead changes. The 11th and final lead change came on the next point with a Stewart kill, which was followed by a Macias kill to put the Mastodons ahead for good. The Cardinals drew within one point at 27-26, but another Macias kill and back-to-back BSU attack errors ended the frame at 30-26.
The third game was another hard fought battle with the teams playing to a 27-27 deadlock through 13 ties and four lead changes. This time the fifth and final lead change would come on back-to-back attack errors from IPFW. With a 29-27 advantage, the BSU block came through with Berg and Doug Willmann (St. Louis, Mo./Francis Howell North H.S.) combining for a game-winning block at 30-27.
Much like the Feb. 17 match, the fourth set started with a 6-2 IPFW run from which the Cardinals were never fully able to recover. The Mastodons largest lead for the game would be six points on three occasions, including the 18-12 mark. From there, the Cardinals managed to draw within one point at 23-22, only to see a 4-0 IPFW run put the game out of reach. The visitors would win the game (30-25) and the match (3-1) on a kill from Brock Ullrich.
In addition to his 14 kills, Berg would end the contest with a match-best 16 digs for his first double-double of the season. He would also collect two block assists and one assist.
Durbin also added his first double-double of the season, posting a season-high 10 digs to go along with his 15 kills. He would also collect a solo block.
Setter Dave Carlson (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids H.S.) posted his third double-double on the year with a match-best 59 assists and 11 digs. He would also finish the match with a kill and a solo stuff.
Ian Pecker (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills H.S.) was the fourth Cardinals to post double-figure digs with 12 on the night, to go along with three assists.
Meyer would finish the night with seven digs and one block. McCarthy added one block and one assists. Willmann would score three digs, two kills and two block assists, while Grabovac scored three kills and one dig.
Also factoring in the loss were Todd Chamberlain (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.) with four kills and a dig; Mark Rumschik (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park H.S.) and Ted Summers-Torres (San Diego, Calif./University of San Diego H.S.).
For the night, the Cardinals were limited to a .170 (66-37-171) attack percentage, while IPFW hit .260 (63-23-154). While BSU held a 61 to 56 advantage in digs and a 65 to 59 edge in assists, they were out-blocked 23.5 to 5. Neither team collected a service ace.
Macias paced the Mastodons in kills (20) and digs (15) on the night, while Stewart collected 16 kills and tied for match-high honors with Serdar Sikca with 10 total blocks.
The Cardinals return to action next weekend, when the play a pair of road MIVA matches starting Friday at No. 10 Loyola (
