After getting off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2006, the Cardinals will put their undefeated record on line more than 650 miles away from home. Ball State will first travel to Mt. Olive, N.C., to take on the Mt. Olive Trojans on Friday and then to Wilson, N.C., to take on the Barton Bulldogs.
In its 2006 season, Ball State started off on an 11-game winning streak. This weekend should see the Cardinals continue on their pace to match that mark. The Cardinals’ schedule also allots them an opportunity to be the last remaining undefeated team in DI-II men’s volleyball.
So far the Cardinals have achieved much of their success in large part because of defense. The Cardinals lead the MIVA in opponent hitting percentage (.102), blocks (3.68 blocks per set) and digs (12.55 digs per set).
Junior middle attacker Matt Leske, the Cardinals only all-MIVA selection from a year ago, heads the defense. Leske was preseason all MIVA, and won the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against NJIT and Sacred Heart last weekend. His two matches propelled his numbers to 1.91 blocks per set, good enough to lead the MIVA.
But for how well the defense has played, the offense has struggled, especially in transition. Going from blocking, to passing, to attacking is something coach Joel Walton wanted to address this week in practice.
“We’ve looked to slow down our transition attack tempo,” Walton said. “I think we’ve made some really good strides.”
Walton said that he wants to work on the entire offensive efficiency as well, and raise the team’s hitting percentage from .194 to approximately .300 to match the top-tier teams in the country.
The team’s low hitting percentage can be partly attributed to trying to replace cornerstone outside attacker Larry Wrather, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury. And while the Cardinals are experiencing these offensive woes, Walton said he does not have any wrinkles or tricks in the playbook for this weekend.
“It’s more about execution with or offense,” Walton said. “I feel like the things we are trying to perform are sound.
“We’re just failing to pass consistently and failing to choose the right shots in the right moments.”
The Trojans tout an undefeated record as well, at 4-0, with wins over Quincy, Ball State’s first MIVA foe, and Barton, Ball State’s opponent on Saturday.
The Cardinals took on Mt. Olive last year, and won in a 3-0 sweep. This year Trojans look to be improved, and have a key piece to their roster back. Outside hitter Angel Dache is back in the Trojans’ lineup after missing last year, and was an integral part of a team that won the Conference Carolinas two years ago.
The Trojans also have a plethora of players that have changed positions and foreign players. And with not a lot of tape and exposure Walton said it is important to prepare for what the team can control.
“A lot of our focus is on our side of the net, and worrying about what we do,” Walton said.
Barton is generating just eight kills a set, compared to Ball State’s 13. The Bulldogs are still searching for its first win as a program, and hold a nation-leading 19 match winless streak.
Walton knows that any real chance the Cardinals have at losing this game comes from themselves.
“We need to limit our errors,” Walton said. “We don’t want to be serving the ball out of bounds and giving them easy points, we want to make them earn their points with that [poor] offense.”
Being that this match is being played about 14 hours after another, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see fatigue plague the Cardinals.
“With it being our second weekend [in a row] on the road we might have some players starting to get worn down,” Walton said. “I think this match creates an opportunity to put some fresh legs on the court.”
These fresh legs will most likely be fresh faces as well, so the goal is to get some other guys experience before heading into conference play.
Walton’s goals for the weekend are basic, but if met bode for another weekend sweep for the Cardinals.
“We want to see offensive improvement, a serving strategy that allows us to put points on the board with our defense,” Walton said.
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