MVB Overtakes the Buckeyes for 12th-Straight Win at Worthen

Thursday, March 12

Muncie, IN

6 pm

Ball State University

17-3,8-2MIVA

Ohio State

9-9,4-6MIVA

Ohio St.

Ball St.

Photo by: Brayden Goins / Ball State Athletics

MVB Overtakes the Buckeyes for 12th-Straight Win at Worthen

March 12, 2026 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

MUNCIE, Ind. – The 10th-ranked Ball State men's volleyball team handed No. 16 Ohio State its fifth-straight loss in a hard-fought four-set victory (25-20, 26-28, 25-18, 25-23) inside Worthen Arena Thursday evening.

The Cardinals (17-3, 8-2 MIVA) maintained its hold on second place in the conference standings while improving its home record to an unblemished 12-0. The victory also avenged a straight-set loss to the Buckeyes (9-9, 4-6 MIVA) from earlier this season (Feb. 19).

Patrick Rogers led the charge once again for Ball State with a match-high 16 kills, hitting .419, along with a team-high five digs and three blocks. Ryan Louis added 11 kills, hitting .364 with five digs and four blocks. Braydon Savitski-Lynde tallied seven kills, two digs, and three blocks.

Setter Lucas Machado orchestrated a Ball State offense that hit .440 for the match, recording 44 assists. Machado also totaled five kills and digs while capturing a career-high four aces.

Middle blocker Daniel Günther led the Cardinals with five blocks, anchoring a defensive effort that out-blocked the Buckeyes 10.0-5.0.

The Cardinals came out firing in the opening set, hitting .500 as a team. After an early 5-1 run sparked by a Machado ace, Ball State never trailed, eventually taking the frame 25-20 on an Ohio state service error.

The second set was a marathon featuring eight tied scores. The Cardinals had the chance to go up two sets to none with a set point at 25-24, but the Buckeyes rallied with three of the final four points to steal the game.

Ball State regrouped in the third, putting on an efficient offensive performance with a .600 team clip. A 4-0 run midway through the set, highlighted by blocks from Basilio and Günther, pushed the lead to 15-9. Rogers finished the set with five kills in just five attempts.

The fourth set held a similar competitive tone with nine tied scores and a lead change. The Buckeyes erased a three-point Cardinal lead to tie it at 21-21, but a clutch kill by Günther followed by a match-ending kill from Machado at 24-23 sealed the victory for the men's squad.

The Cardinals enjoy a nine-day break from competition before heading just up the road to round out the regular season series against Purdue Fort Wayne on March 21 at 7 p.m.