With targets on their backs, Ball State University is now on the wrong side hunting season.-áAs the only undefeated team in the nation, the Cardinals have a bull's eye on their back.
The No. 8 men's volleyball team has a tough road weekend ahead of them starting in Fort Wayne as they battle IPFW.-áThe match is a chance for the Cardinals to get a conference win on the road before going north to Kenosha, Wis., to take on the Red Men of Carthage College.-áFor a difficult weekend ahead Ball State remains level-headed.-á -á
"We're staying with what has been our normal routine," coach Joel Walton said. "By doing this it helps our guys approach each match the same way."-á -á
Zoran Grabovac is one Cardinal who has played exceptionally well recently. Grabovac, a senior, was named the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Player of the Week for February 5-11.-áDuring that time Grabovac helped the Cardinals through a 3-0 stretch.-áOn the season he has totaled 1.57 block-a-game average - which is tops in the league and second in the nation. -á
"It's always nice to get the individual award," Grabovac said. "It's what happens throughout the season that is important.-áIt takes a team ef
fort for one individual to get an award."-á
The award is a first for Grabovac and the first for any Cardinal players this season.-á -á
"I thought [Grabovac] did a really nice job for us last weekend," Walton said. "We're starting to see him attack at a level that I'm not sure any other attackers in our conference are hitting at."
When Ball State travels to IPFW tonight, the Mastodons' Gates Sports Center is expected to house a sold-out crowd.-á
"A couple years ago we had 'The Side Out Squad' in full force in Fort Wayne," Walton said. "Almost to the point where this group of 20-40 people were out-cheering the Fort Wayne crowd."-á
Grabovac had similar thoughts.
"Give us the same support [on the road] they give us at home," Grabovac said. "We'll concentrate on them, and the positive feedback they give us instead of the negative feedback we get from IPFW fans."-á
When Carthage came to Muncie on Jan. 20, they pushed the Cardinals to five games before inevitably losing, so the Red Men may have a little revenge planned.-á -á
Walton said physicality isn't the scariest thing for the team, its playing against a team that executes well and plays the game.-á
"I would expect Carthage to have a decent size crowd out," he said. "Because they've got undefeated Ball State coming to town and it's going to be a unique opportunity in their gym."-á
The two Red Men who hurt Ball State were Shane Olson, who had 25 kills, and Alan Russo had 14 kills.-á Walton said he thought Ball State can play defense better than them and that their offense is better now.-á Along with the challenge of going on the road, and the challenge to the players. -á
"We've set as our goal to host the MIVA championship," Walton said. "In order to do that you have to win the MIVA regular season.-áEach step in getting there is going to be difficult."
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