Ball State University
Lewis University
Men's Volleyball Travels To Lewis For MIVA Tournament Semifinals
April 16, 2021 | Men's Volleyball
#15 Ball State (4th Seed) (12-7, 8-6 MIVA) at #4 Lewis (1st Seed) (18-2, 12-2 MIVA)
MIVA Tournament Semifinals
Saturday, April 17, 8 p.m. ET | Neil Carey Arena
Last meeting: March 6, 2021 | Ball State lost 3-0
Series History: Lewis leads the series 33-32
HOW WE GOT HERE: In the Cardinals last MIVA regular season weekend series, Felix Egharevba led Ball State to a split with 10th-ranked McKendree. Saturday's five-set victory over the Bearcats allowed the Cardinals clinch a home match for the 2021 MIVA Tournament quarterfinal round, which was played last Saturday night in Worthen Arena. The Cardinals advanced to the semifinal round for the first time since the 2017 season after defeating the Buckeyes, 3-1.Â
OHIO STATE RECAP: Graduate senior Blake Reardon, who was a freshman the last time the Cardinals won a quarterfinal round, had an impressive performance after leading his squad with 19 kills off of 32 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage. Junior Kaleb Jenness was not too far behind Reardon turning in a 16-kill showing. No team is successful without a good setter in which senior Quinn Isaacson dished out a game high 53 assists to his counterparts while also leading the Cardinals with 13 defensive digs. Junior Felix Egharevba, also factored in registering seven block assists while the team as a whole totaled 19. Egharevba also had nine kills off of 12 swings for a .667 attack percentage.
FOUR CARDINALS EARN ALL-MIVA HONORS: The Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association announced the members of the 2021 All-MIVA First and Second teams Friday morning. Ball State senior setter Quinn Isaacson and junior outside hitter Kaleb Jenness were tabbed to the All-MIVA First Team, while junior middle attacker Felix Egharevba and graduate senior outside hitter Blake Reardon were both selected to the All-MIVA Second Team. This is the first time Isaacson has earned All-MIVA First Team accolades, as he was a second-team honoree in 2020.Â
SCOUTING LEWIS: The Flyers advanced to Saturday's semifinal with a straight sets win over Quincy last Saturday evening in the opening round of the MIVA Tournament. Ryan Coenen (Franklin, WI/Franklin) and Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) led the way for Lewis combining for 25 kills in the contest. Lewis in currently ranked No. 4 in the national rankings and is the No. 1 seed in the MIVA Tournament. The Flyers swept the Cardinals in both meetings this year.
THE END OF AN ERA:Â One of the winningest coaches in NCAA men's volleyball history will lead Ball State's program for one more season. Head coach Joel Walton announced he will retire following the completion of the 2021 season. A two-time Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Coach of the Year, Walton enters his 23rd and final season at the helm of the Cardinals ranked fourth among active NCAA men's volleyball head coaches (Divisions I, II or III) with 410 career wins, owning an overall record of 415-237 (.637).
MIVA TOURNAMENT TIME:Â The MIVA Tournament begins this week and will be followed by the semifinals on April 17. The championship match will be played on April 24. All eight teams qualified this year. The higher seed of each matchup will host. The Cardinals haven't won a quarterfinal match since April 15, 2017 which was against Loyola in Worthen Arena. BSU won that match 3-1. The last time the Cardinals won a semifinal round in the MIVA Tournament was on April 26, 2002 when Ball State defeated ironically enough Lewis by a score of 3-1 in Muncie, Ind. Ball State went on to host Loyola Chicago in the title match on April 27 earning a 3-0 sweep over the Ramblers advancing to the NCAA Tournament where BSU fell to Pepperdine 3-1 in Malibu, Calif.
Semifinals - Saturday, April 17
Game 5: No. 1 Lewis vs. No. 4 Ball State at 8 p.m. ET
Game 6: No. 2 Loyola-Chicago vs. No. 3 McKendree 7 p.m. ET
Final - Saturday, April 24
Game 7: Winners of games 5 & 6 (at higher seed)
