The men's volleyball team has been waiting all season for someone to help team-leader Jary Delgado shoulder the offensive load.
The Cardinals got help from their middle attackers Saturday in a 3-0 victory over Findlay in the first round of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association tournament. Second-seeded Ball State faces the three seed Loyola in the semifinals Friday at Ohio State.
Sophomore Zoran Grabovac and junior Andrew Braley led the Cardinals from their middle attacker positions when the team's outside attackers struggled. Grabovac slammed home 12 kills while hitting .786, both team highs. Braley nailed 10 kills and hit .692.
"We were just on top of our game, and their middle attackers are not as good," Grabovac said. "Keith (Schunzel, the setter) took advantage of that and set middle a lot tonight."
Schunzel said the Cardinals didn't adjust their offense to favor the 6-8 middle attackers. They just took over the game, he said.
"When we pass well, those guys are so big, and they get up and contact the ball really high," Schunzel said. "They're hitting really good shots now. Things just kind of came together for them tonight."
Findlay, the seventh-seed who won just four conference games, pushed Ball State in all three games, even leading late in games two and three. Cardinals' head coach Joel Walton said before the match that his team couldn't afford to take Findlay lightly, which is what he said they did.
"I don't think we were as motivated as we should have been," Walton said. "I tried to stress to the guys that it's tournament time; we have to take every team serious; it doesn't matter who. But, to (Findlay's) credit, they did some things we haven't seen before."
Schunzel said Findlay stepped up its play for the tournament, but, in the end, the Cardinals were just too strong.
"They probably out played us, we just had a little more talent tonight," Schunzel said.
The Oilers held a 24-22 lead in game three and threatened to force a fourth game. Grabovac responded with three straight kills, however, sparking a 8-2 run that won the Cardinals the game and the match.
"The score was close, and they were up. I just told myself, 'hey, you have to step up and be on top,'" Grabovac said.
Senior outside attacker Amitai Sasson didn't hit well against Findlay. After the second game, he had four kills, but was hitting -.154. Former starter Nick Meyer replaced Sasson midway through game two and played well. Meyer killed five balls in a game and a half and hit .400.
Walton said he will most likely start Sasson on Friday against Loyola. Walton said he favors the senior because of his experience. Plus, Loyola hasn't seen Sasson used at outside attacker, Walton said.
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