Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
12-13 (5-8MIVA)
Loyola
18-1 (10-1MIVA)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola University | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Ball State | 19 | 18 | 17 | 0 |
Loyola Closes Out Cardinals Home Action In 3-0 Loss
March 29, 2015 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State (12-13, 2-3 MIVA) men's volleyball team was served its second sweep in a row Saturday evening with a 3-0 (19-25, 18-25, 17-25) final against No. 2 Loyola University (18-1, 10-1 MIVA), while the defending national champion Ramblers hold onto just one Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association loss on the season. The match marked the final regular season home game for the Cardinals.
“There's no question that Loyola is a very strong team,” Ball State men's volleyball head coach Joel Walton said. “We are going to be evaluating a lot of things and trying to get our guys in the best position for the remainder of the season now. Right now we are not passing the ball to the net the way we want to be.”
Leading the Cardinals offensively was sophomore Edgardo Cartagena with 13 kills on 28 attempts for a .286 attack percentage, along with fellow sophomore Mike Scannell who posted six kills and three block assists.
Defensively, freshman Matt Walsh marked three of his own block assists and libero David Ryan Vander Meer tallied six digs. Junior setter Hiago Garchet also posted three digs and 30 assists throughout the three-set match. Scannell received a team-high of 27 error-free shots, while Cartagena marked seven with a 1.000 reception rate.
“Looking forward, our team just really needs to come together to finish the season strong. We need to stay focused and work together,” senior Vander Meer said. “As far as leadership for next year goes, anyone on this team can step up and be a leader. It isn't always the best player or the loudest player that becomes the leader of the team. The leader is the person who decides to step up and bring the team together.”
Ball State suffered from 11 service errors and 15 attack errors compared to Loyola's 10 service errors paired with seven attack errors. Loyola also only allowed a total of five lead changes throughout the three sets.
The Ramblers held the advantage in kills (44-34), attack percentage (.468-.229), digs (26-20), and blocks (10.0-3.5), despite falling in total attacks to the Cardinals (83-79).
The match also featured a special senior night recognition session for the four seniors following the conclusion of the match. Those honored included Vander Meer, Matt Sutherland, Shane Witmer, and Julian Welsh-White.
“This night is so surreal to me. I'm still trying to take it all in,” Welsh-White said. “I remember as a freshman sitting here watching the seniors play thinking about how I couldn't wait to be there and now it's here and it is just so surreal. I really hope that someone can take over my role and bring a lot of energy to the team. That type of role is something that every team needs.”
The Ball State men's volleyball team will continue MIVA play when they travel to take on IPFW Saturday, Apr. 4. First serve will take place at 7 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Ind.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State men's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateMVB on Twitter and Instagram.
