After the men's volleyball team dominated league rival Quincy in a 3-0 victory Friday, it lost in straight sets to No. 8 Penn State at home Sunday, 30-26, 30-26, 30-28.
Head coach Joel Walton called the Penn State game one of the Cardinals' worst matches of the year. They hit .242 in the match and managed just seven blocks. Blocks, Walton said, were just one of the team's problems.
"I don't think our game plan was exactly right," Walton said. "I don't think we served the way we're capable of serving, I don't we blocked the way we're capable of blocking, we didn't dig very well. A lot of different players didn't have their best matches."
Ball State (13-6) beat the Nittnay Lions (16-5) in their first match this season, Jan. 18 in a tournament in Hawaii. Walton said the previous win may have caused the Cardinals to somewhat lower their guard.
" I don't know if we came in overconfident of we just failed to execute," Walton said. "I think it might be a little bit of both."
Though Walton gave credit to Penn State's quick offense, he said the Cardinals' bad play contributed to the loss more than the Nittnay Lions' good play.
"Penn State played OK tonight and we were really off of our game," Walton said. "It didn't take a lot of pressure. We really cracked and kind of self destructed."
After winning Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association player of the week honors last week, senior outside attacker Josh Zuidema led the team with 11 kills Sunday.
On Friday Ball State increased its lead over Quincy for the fourth spot in the MIVA to two games with a 30-22, 30-20, 30-20 win. The team hit .482 for the match while holding the Hawks to .247.
Senior outside attacker Kyle Weindel led the Cardinals against Quincy with 15 kills at a .565 hitting percentage. Junior outside attacker Jary Delgado added 12 kills and hit .429.
Although Ball State's weekend loss was not in conference, Walton said it could make a difference if the Cardinals win the MIVA tournament and get to play in the NCAA tournament.
"It we make it through our conference tournament and then get to the NCAAs Penn State now has the advantage on us," Walton said. "We beat them in four (sets), they beat us in three. That's pretty important."
Ball State is now 7-4 in the MIVA with five conference games left. The Cardinals are a game and a half behind Ohio State for the third spot. The team next plays Loyola Friday at home.
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