Coach Joel Walton used one word to describe the Ball State University men's volleyball team's performance in game one of Friday's match: expletive.
The message was well received by his players, as Ball State overcame a two-game deficit to defeat Lewis University 17-30, 27-30, 30-28, 30-25, 15-13.
"[The first game] was expletive, expletive, expletive, holy expletive. We need to do something better expletive," Walton said. "We did a good job working our way back into the match after a really crappy start, but we're going to play some great teams, and we are going to have to get off to some better starts and not have to work so hard just to finish matches."
In the first game, Ball State (4-5, 2-1 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) had a match-low .111 attack percentage and trailed by as many as 15 points. Also, the 30-17 loss was the fifth time since 2006 Ball State failed to score at least 20 points in a game.
The Cardinals finished the match with a .300 attack percentage, including a .500 attack percentage in the fifth game.
Walton said his team was tentative and scared at the start of the match but played better after a talk during the intermission between the second and third games.
"We thought we could just step on the court and play and Lewis was going to be the team that they have been in the past and make a whole lot of mistakes," Walton said. "Once we changed our mentality to one that knew we were going to have to work for every point, we were a lot more aggressive. That's what turned the tide and that's what pushed us over the top."
Walton said one reason for the Cardinals' turnaround against Lewis was the performance of Ball State's bench.
Entering the match midway through the second game, outside attacker Eric Schulte finished the match with nine digs and was one of four Cardinals to have at least 10 kills. Also, Schulte had the match-winning kill with the score 14-13 in the fifth game.
Schulte said he provided energy for his team Friday.
"In practice I'm kind of the vocal, ease the mood and get the energy going and so that's what I kind of try to do on the court," Schulte said. "In the fifth game my voice was gone, but it's what I try to do-pick it up vocally and with play."
Following the Lewis match, Ball State defeated the New Jersey Institute of Technology in four games Saturday.
Walton said he was happy with way his offense played this weekend. He also said his team has to be more focused to win in the upcoming weeks.
"I'll take any two-win weekend, even if one night was ugly," he said.
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