Ball State University Athletics
Men's Volleyball Season Ends In 3-0 Conference Sweep
April 17, 2016 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The No. 11 Ball State (20-9, 12-5 MIVA) men's volleyball team welcomed McKendree (11-13, 6-11 MIVA) to Worthen Arena on Saturday evening for the quarterfinal match of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association tournament. With a 3-0 (18-25, 23-25, 23-25) final, the Cardinals were eliminated from the tournament and concluded the 2016 season with a 20-9 overall record, paired with a 12-5 mark in conference action.
"It's a bitter pill this season where I think our margin was pretty slim and yet our guys fought through a lot of situations both here at home and on the road. We didn't fight and we didn't dig down deep and get things done," Ball State men's volleyball head coach Joel Walton said. "I think our offense lacked and think it was short lived. On McKendree, they have one, two, or three blockers, and we didn't really find any offensive punch against them."
Despite heading out to the court energized for the matchup, the Cardinals were stiffed in a 25-18 final. It was the Bearcats team blocks that held off Ball State, finishing the first set with a 4.0-1.0 advantage in addition to a 2-1 lead in service aces. It was sophomore Matt Walsh who marked the lone Cardinals ace of the game, in addition to one block assist and one kill. After the first, it was senior Marcin Niemczewski who led the team with three kills, although senior setter Hiago Garchet earned a perfect hitting percentage on two kills.
Outside attack Austin Overby came into the second set and racked up five kills to match sophomore Mitch Weiler's two set total at the same mark, in addition to tallying the second Ball State ace. Weiler also took on three digs in the second game, while Walsh and Garchet teamed up for another block assist. Ultimately, the final two points of the set were narrow with the first going to the Cardinals to close in on the Bearcats at 24-23, but the game was closed out on Ball State's 16th attacking error of the night.
"There were some reactions and we just didn't match it on our side. We didn't keep up with them offensively and that was where the gap was," Coach Walton added. "They out blocked us tonight and they out dug us tonight, so again our offense didn't have enough umph, so we didn't have many instances where we could get up and take offensive swings and terminate rallies."
The critical third set was decided by another narrow 25-23 mark, ultimately on a kill by McKendree's Jared Wilcox. The 2.5 blocks that the Bearcats gained were vital for the 3-0 sweep, although Edgardo Cartagena and junior Alex Pia teamed up to jump for one block for the Cardinals. Weiler closed the night with a team-high of nine kills, while junior Mike Scannell got in on the action by downing five additional attacks.
McKendree was able to edge the Cardinals with its hitting percentage (.359-.170), kills (43-38), and total team blocks (7.5-3.0), although the pair of conference rivals were square with two service aces each. The Bearcats were disciplined by holding to just 10 attacking errors, while Ball State sacrificed 22 on the night.
"It's been a good season. I know our staff, and as we started out we told ourselves at the beginning of the year that we were going to celebrate every win, and there were some really noteworthy victories this season. The guys found rhythm at the middle of the season and unfortunately we didn't finish," Coach Walton said. "We have a lot of players coming back, and we have good recruits coming in. The message to the guys now is go home over the summer time and work."
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