Ball State University
Clarke
No. 15 Men?s Volleyball Sweeps Clarke to Open Season
January 09, 2007 | Men's Volleyball
Muncie, Ind. - - The No. 15-ranked Ball State (1-0) men's volleyball team opened the 2007 season in dominating fashion Tuesday evening, posting a 3-0 (30-18, 30-23, 30-18) sweep of Clarke at Worthen Arena.
In the match 15 different Cardinals saw action, with senior outside attacker Nick Meyer (
In his first collegiate match, freshman setter Ethan Pheister (
After pulling out to a 7-0 lead in the opening set, the Cardinals saw Clarke draw within three points at 10-7, before a four-point run gave BSU its seven-point advantage back at 14-7.
With the Cardinals leading 22-14, Meyer would remove any doubt about the game's ending with back-to-back service aces followed by back-to-back kills to put BSU up by 12 points at 26-14. The Cardinals would eventually win the game 30-18 on a kill from sophomore outside attacker Todd Chamberlain (
The Cardinals would open the second stanza with a 3-0 lead before playing to an 11-10 advantage. However, back-to-back service aces from Clarke's Taylor Albright would give the Crusaders their first lead of the night at 12-11.
Clarke would keep the game close at 23-20, only to see the Cardinals win the game 30-23. After a block assists from Chamberlain and sophomore middle attacker Ryan Clarke (
In the final frame, the visiting Crusaders would pull ahead 4-3 only to see the Cardinals score the next four points. During the run, BSU's Clarke would score his first career service ace, while sophomore transfer outside attacker Justin Orr (
After a pair of Crusader points pushed the score to 7-6, Meyer would collect a kill before going back to serve the next seven BSU points, making the score 15-6.
The Cardinals would go on to win the game 30-18 on a block assist from Clarke and freshman setter Jeff Schmitz (
Three BSU players - - Clarke, sophomore middle attacker Matt McCarthy (
Chamberlain and junior libero Ian Peckler (
Also factoring in the match for the Cardinals were senior outside attacker/setter Mark Rumschik (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park H.S.) with two digs; sophomore outside attacker Mark Termion (Winfield, Ill./Wheaton North H.S.) with one dig, freshman outside attacker/libero Billy Ebel (Lenexa, Ka./Bishop Miege H.S.) with one dig and redshirt freshman middle attacker Ben Irwin (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove H.S.).
As a team, the Cardinals tallied a .260 (41-15-100) attack percentage, while limiting the visitors to a -.011 (22-23-92) rate of success. BSU held an 11-7 advantage in blocks and a 9-5 edge in aces, while both teams logged 40 digs.
Ed Frederick would pace Clarke with 10 kills on the night, while Kevin Merz added a match-best 10 digs for the Crusaders.
