Ball State University
Lewis
Men's Volleyball Posts 3-1 Win over Lewis in MIVA Opener
February 03, 2007 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State (4-4; 1-0 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) men's volleyball team used a balanced offensive attack to post a 3-1 (30-25, 25-30, 30-25, 30-26) victory over Lewis (7-1; 2-1 MIVA) Friday night at Worthen Arena.
“It was a great team effort for our squad tonight,” said Ball State head coach Joel Walton. “We had a lot of good performances from a lot of different players.”
While four different Cardinals recorded double-figure kills for the first time this season, it was the play of senior Mark Rumschik (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park H.S.) off the bench in the fourth game that played a huge role in the victory.
“Mark came off the bench tonight and provided a big spark for us in the fourth game,” continued Walton. “He made some big kills when we needed them the most.”
After recording just two service attempts and a dig in the first three games, Rumschik tallied six kills on nine swings for a .667 attack percentage in the fourth game. With the Cardinals leading by just one at 23-22, Rumschik tallied kills on three of the next four plays to pave the way for the Ball State victory.
Senior Nick Meyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller H.S.) would pace the Ball State offense with 17 kills, while sophomores Matt McCarthy (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.) and Todd Chamberlain (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.) added 12 and 11, respectively, and freshman Matt Sprague (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette H.S.) scored 10.
Meyer and Chamberlain would also finish the night with double-doubles, as Meyer added 12 digs to his 17 kills, and Chamberlain logged a career-high 15 digs to go with his 11 kills. Meyer would add five total blocks and a service ace to his statistical line, while Chamberlain scored three blocks.
With the Cardinals trailing by six points at 12-6 in the opening set, back-to-back kills from Meyer and some strong serving by freshman Jeff Schmitz (Fenton, Mo./St, John Vianney H.S.) tied the game at 12-all. Schmitz would give BSU its first lead of the night at the 18-17 mark, with his first of three kills in the contest, which also gave the Cardinals the edge for good in the game. BSU would win the game at 30-25 on a McCarthy kill.
The second set was the closest of the night with 19 ties and five lead changes. With the game tied at 23-23, back-to-back kills from Lewis' Alex Vigansky and Drew Pickering would put the guests ahead for good in the set. Jared Dayton would provide the game-winner for the Flyers at 30-25.
In the third game, the teams would play to a 7-7 tie before a Flyers' service error and a McCarthy service ace sparked a four-point BSU run to give the Cardinals the lead for good in the game. BSU would win the frame 30-25 on a kill from Sprague.
The fourth and final set would see the Cardinals fall behind 6-1 early, only to tie the game at 8-8. With Lewis holding a 14-12 edge, Ball State would score the next four points to take its first lead at 16-14. BSU's advantage would grow to four points on a kill from Chamberlain at 21-17. However, the Flyers would eventually get within one point at 24-23.
That is were Rumschik stepped in, scoring kills on three of the next four plays to put the Cardinals ahead 26-23. Ball State would go on to win the game 30-26 on a block assist from Schmitz and sophomore Ryan Clarke (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South H.S.).
Schmitz would guide the Ball State offense to a .275 (67-28-142) attack percentage in the match, while dishing out a career-high 58 assists and adding a career-best nine digs. His two block assists in the contest were also a career-high.
Clarke would tie Meyer for team-high honors with five blocks, while adding three kills, three assists and a pair of digs. McCarthy would log three digs, two blocks and an ace, while Sprague tallied a career-high five digs and a pair of block assists.
Also factoring in the win for Ball State were: senior Doug Willmann (St. Louis, Mo./Francis Howell North H.S.) with five kills, junior Ian Peckler (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills H.S.) with six digs and freshman Billy Ebel (Lenexa, Ka./Bishop Miege H.S.) with one dig and an assist.
For the match, the Cardinals out-hit the Flyers .275 to .192 (59-29-151), while holding a 54-to-43 edge in digs. Lewis posted a 16-to-10.5 advantage in blocks and a 5-to-2 lead in aces.
Lewis' Dayton would pace all players with 19 kills in the match, while Pickering added 12 and Vigansky scored 10. Nick Perakes would add a match-high 16 digs.
The Ball State men's volleyball team will return to action next Friday, when it battles Rutgers-Newark at 6 p.m. in the opening round of the Springfield Hall of Fame Tournament.
