Freshman middle attacker J.D. Gasparovic said the most difficult thing for him about transitioning from high school to college volleyball this season was adjusting to the game's increased speed.
After starting both matches for the Ball State University men's volleyball team this weekend, he said that transition is becoming easier.
Gasparovic finished the weekend with 25 kills, including a career-high 14 kills as the Cardinals defeated No. 14 George Mason 33-25, 30-24, 26-30, 30-26, 17-15 Friday.
"The first couple months of [NCAA] volleyball was a shock when I started, and the team helped me with the intensity of the game," Gasparovic said. "We played really well [this weekend] and came together as a team."
Along with getting kills, Gasparovic had a team-high 13 blocks and a .632 attack percentage against George Mason, as the Cardinals (7-6, 2-1 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) won their first match against a nationally ranked team this season.
Coach Joel Walton said he knew Gasparovic had the potential to be this successful as a freshman at the college level because of how Gasparovic competed during the Cardinals' volleyball summer camps while in high school.
"It was an unbelievable night for him," Walton said. "We challenged him after we lost to Stanford [last week], when we were having trouble finding a third offensive option. ... J.D. really responded."
In addition to Friday's match, Gasparovic had a team-high 11 kills, including seven kills in game one, during a sweep against Rutgers-Newark University on Saturday.
Entering this weekend, Gasparovic started in four matches and was averaging less than one kill per game.
Walton said one reason Gasparovic and middle attacker Matt McCarthy, who had a season-high 18 kills Friday, had higher offensive numbers was because of a change at the libero position.
Following the third game against George Mason, Billy Ebel came off the bench to replace starter Ian Peckler, who was a 2007 second-team All-American.
Ebel finished the George Mason match with six digs. Also, he had a match-high seven digs while playing in all three games against the Scarlet Knights.
Gasparovic said Ebel's accurate passing helped him have a career-high weekend.
"When Billy came in the other team didn't know him, and he was hyped to be out there," Gasparovic said. "He came out and was ready to play."
Walton said after Gasparovic's performance this weekend he will most likely start in Ball State's next match against No. 7 Ohio State University at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Worthen Arena.
However, Walton did not say whether Peckler or Ebel will start at libero against the first-place Buckeyes (7-2, 5-0 MIVA).
"There is definitely competition," Walton said.
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