Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
McKendree University
MVB Wraps Up Regular Season Road Play at McKendree & Lewis This Weekend
March 30, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
No. 12 Ball State (14-8, 7-3 MIVA) plays at McKendree (6-11, 1-9 MIVA) Thursday, March 30 at 8 pm ETÂ and at Lewis (16-12, 7-7 MIVA) Saturday, April 1 at 6 pm ET
Last meeting: Ball State 3, McKendree 1 (2/11/23)
Series History: Ball State leads the all-time series 13-6
Last meeting: Ball State 2, Lewis 3 (2/9/23)
Series History: Ball State leads the all-time series 36-34
SETTING THE SCENE
CRUZ'S FIRST MEMORABLE SEASON: The Cardinals are looking to build off a historic 2022 season which saw Donan Cruz, in his first year at the helm, lead Ball State to a 23-4 overall record and the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship. BSU was also ranked third in the final NVA/AVCA Men's Division I-II Coaches Poll: the highest ranking in program history. Ball State was also the 2022 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular season and tournament champions. Cruz was named the 2022 AVCA Coach of the Year last season and MIVA Coach of the Year.
SCOUTING MCKENDREE: The Bearcats sport a 6-11 overall record and a 1-9 mark in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association to rank sixth in the league with four games left in the regular season. Â Offensively, the Bearcats are led in kills by freshman opposite side hitter Bryce Wetjen who averages 3.34 kills per set (35th nationally). Additionally, junior Tyler Poulsen ranked 12th nationally at 10.06 assists per set. Â On the defensive side, redshirt junior outside hitter Kyle Wilson leads with 1.75 digs per set while freshman middle blocker Rolen Lively averages 1.085 blocks per set (9th nationally). Â The Bearcats have lost six in a row and have won only one MIVA contest, that was a 3-1 victory at Melvin Price Convocation Center on Feb. 17.Â
SCOUTING LEWIS:Â The Flyers have gone 6-1 the month of March with its lone loss being against MIVA leader Loyola by a score of 3-0 on March 23 in Chicago. The last time the Cardinals and the Flyers met was the conference opener which saw Lewis earn a five-set thriller over Ball State on Feb. 9. Max Roquet leads the Flyers offensively with 236 total kills while averaging 3.37 kills per set. Lewis owns a 14-10 record and holds a 5-5 league ledger. With four regular season MIVA matches left, the Flyers sit in fifth currently in the conference standings.Â
SCOUTING BALL STATE: The Cardinals are still ranked 12th in the nation after sweeping their MIVA weekend home series last week with a 3-1 victory over Quincy and a 3-0 sweep against Lindenwood. Ball State sits second in the MIVA with a 14-8 overall record and a 7-3 ledger in conference play. Leading the Cardinals in national rankings are outside hitter Kaleb Jenness at 3.68 kills per set (21st nationally) and setter David Flores who tallies 10.23 assists per set (5th nationally).Â
MIVA STANDINGS: Loyola Chicago still leads the MIVA with an 9-1 conference mark. Ball State comes in second at 7-3 while Ohio State is third owning a 7-3 record. Lindenwood sits in fourth place with a 6-4 ledger. There's only a two more weeks of regular season play with the MIVA Tournament quarterfinals beginning April 15.Â
NEXT UP:Â The Cardinals will close their MIVA regular season play next weekend at home when Ball State hosts Loyola University and rival Purdue Fort Wayne. The match against Purdue Fort Wayne will also be the Cardinals' alumni event.Â
