Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
5-3 (0-1MIVA)
Loyola
6-5 (1-0MIVA)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola | 25 | 16 | 29 | 25 | 3 |
| Ball State | 18 | 25 | 27 | 23 | 1 |
Volleyball Falls Short In Upset Bid Of #13 Loyola
February 03, 2012 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Despite an 8-0 run to end the second set and a pair of set points in the third, the Ball state men's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 (25-18, 16-25, 29-27, 25-23) setback to No. 13 Loyola-Chicago Thursday evening in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association opener for both squads at Worthen Arena.
The loss snaps BSU's three-match winning streak and moves them to 5-3 (0-1 MIVA) for the year. The Ramblers improve to 6-5 (1-0 MIVA) and have now won three straight matches.
In Thursday's loss, redshirt sophomore middle attacker Matt Leske (Highwood, Ill./Highland Park H.S.) turned in the most dominating performance of his career, racking up a career-high nine kills and a career-best .615 (9-1-13) attacking mark. Leske also chipped in with four blocks and a pair of digs.
Junior outside hitter Larry Wrather (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forrest H.S.) led the Ball State attack with 11 kills, while adding four digs.
Junior right side attacker Greg Herceg (Lakewood, Ohio/St. Ignatius H.S.) turned in a solid performance off the bench, including serving the final seven points of the second game. He also tallied seven kills, four digs and a pair of blocks.
In the backcourt, sophomore libero Tommy Rouse (Carmel, Ind./Carmel H.S.) tied for match-high honors with 11 digs.
Sophomore setter Graham McIlvaine (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) guided the BSU offense to a .233 (45-21-103) rate of success for the night, including a .450 (12-3-20) mark in the second frame.
Loyola's Cody Caldwell led all players with 14 kills, while Joseph Smalzer added 13 and Mike Bunting scored 12. Peter Jasaitis tied Rouse for match-high honors with 11 digs.
Ball State was able to limit the Loyola offense to a .230 (54-26-122) hitting mark for the match, thanks in part to a 10.5-6 edge in team blocks. BSU also out-dug the Ramblers 33-32.
With BSU trailing 6-5 in the opening frame, the guests rallied off the next three points and never gave up their edge. Ball State would get within two at 16-14, but another three-point Ramblers run pushed the lead back to 19-14. Bunting eventually provided the frame-winning kill at 25-18.
Ball State trailed 14-13 in the second set, before a 3-0 run capped by a Shane Witmer (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North H.S.) solo block - one of his match-high five blocks on the night - pushed the score to 16-14. Loyola scored two of the next three to draw within one, 17-16, but a Bunting service error gave BSU the ball. In a clutch substitution, Herceg came in to serve and rattled off the final seven points of the set.
The Cardinals trailed 24-21 in the third game, before a kill and block from Leske helped BSU score the next three points and even the score at 24. A triple block from Herceg, Leske and Witmer gave BSU its first set point at 26-25, only to have a LUC kill even the score. A marker from Herceg on the next rally gave BSU another chance to win the game, but a pair of BSU errors and a Smalzer kill allowed the Ramblers to survive and win the set 29-27.
With the score tied at 13 in the fourth game, back-to-back Bunting blasts sparked a 5-0 Loyola run. Ball State battled back within two, at 20-18, only to have the Ramblers reach match-point at 24-19. Three straight Loyola errors and a block from Leske and McIlvaine brought the hosts within one, but Eric Daliege smashed a kill to end the set at 25-23.
The Ball State men's volleyball team returns to action Sunday afternoon, when it looks for another shot to take down a ranked opponent with No. 6 Lewis coming to town for a 1 p.m. first serve.
