Ball State University Athletics
Men's Volleyball Travels To Limestone And Pfeiffer
January 25, 2012 | Men's Volleyball
►THE WEEK AHEAD: The Ball State men's volleyball team looks for a break from the cold weather this weekend, as it heads south to battle a pair of Conference Carolinas opponents . . . The Cardinals open the trip Friday with a 7:30 p.m. first serve at Limestone College (Gaffney, S.C.) . . . Saturday, the Cardinals will travel to Pfeiffer University (Misenheimer, N.C.) for a 1:30 p.m. match versus the Falcons.
►FOLLOW THE ACTION: Live stats and live video will be available for both matches this weekend at the links provided above . . . Live stats for both matches are free, as is the video for the Pfeiffer match . . . There will be a charge to watch the Limestone match.
►CARDINALS ALL-TIME: After posting a 2-1 record last week, the Ball State men's volleyball program enters the week with a 1056-423-8 (.713) all-time record in 48-plus seasons of play . . . The program, which officially became a varsity sport at Ball State during the 1964 season, joins baseball and men's basketball as the only programs in school history to reach 1,000 wins . . . In addition, only one other NCAA Division I/II men's volleyball program has eclipsed 1,000 wins, with UCLA enters the week with an 1,224-283 all-time record over 49-plus years.
►250 AND COUNTING: Joel Walton, who is in his 14th season as BSU's head coach, picked up his 250th career victory in a 3-2 thriller at Goerge Mason (Jan. 14) . . . After the Cardinals went 2-1 last week, Walton enters Friday's match at Limestone with a 252-138 (.646) career record.
►THE All-TIME SERIES: Ball State scored a 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-15) sweep of Limestone in the first ever meeting between the two clubs at Worthen Arena last Feb. 5 . . . One day earlier, the Cardinals collected a 3-0 (25-14, 25-12, 25-22) win over Pfeiffer in the series' first contest Feb. 4 at Worthen Arena . . . This will be just the second time in program history BSU will be traveling to play programs from the Conference Carolinas, as it played a pair of matches at King College last season . . . BSU scored a 3-1 win at King (March 26), before suffering a 3-2 setback to Lees-McRae (March 27) on King's court.
►SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: The Cardinals enter the week with a 3-2 record after scoring sweeps of Sacred Heart (25-22, 25-19, 25-22) and St. Francis (25-23, 26-24, 25-20) surrounding a 3-2 (25-19, 17-25, 23-25, 25-21, 16-14) loss to George Mason last week . . . Redshirt junior Jamion Hartley paces the BSU attack with 64 kills (3.20 kps), while junior Larry Wrather is second with 52 kills (2.60 kps) . . . Sophomore setter Graham McIlvaine has guided BSU to a .219 rate of success on offense by handing out 9.19 assists per set . . . McIlvaine is also tied with Matt Leske for team-high honors with 24 total blocks . . . Sophomore libero Tommy Rouse averages 2.38 digs per set to pace the BSU back court.
►PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sophomore libero Tommy Rouse was named the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week after collecting 29 digs for a 2.64 digs-per-set average last week . . . . He also posted a perfect reception percentage, successfully passing all 49 serves he faced.
►THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH: Sophomore middle blocker Kevin Owens turned in his second solid performance of the season versus George Mason last Friday, racking up career highs of 11 kills, seven total blocks and a .611 attack percentage . . . In two matches versus GMU this season, Owens is hitting .571 with 21 kills on 35 swings and just one error . . . He also has 10 total blocks versus the Patriots.
►MORE FROM THE MIDDLE: After collecting 15 total blocks last week, redshirt sophomore middle blocker Matt Leske finds himself ranked third in the MIVA with a 1.14 blocks-per-set average.
►DOUBLING UP: Freshman outside hitter Shane Witmer became the first BSU player to record a double-double this season with career-highs of 10 kills and 11 digs versus George Mason last Friday . . . Witmer, who logged his first collegiate start versus Sacred Heart last Wednesday, enters the week ranked second on the team and fifth in the MIVA with a 1.82 digs-per-set average.
