Coach Don Shondell still remembers the last time UCLA was at Ball State University.
Playing in the 1972 NCAA men's volleyball final four, the Bruins defeated Shondell and his Cardinals in the semi-finals and went on to win their second NCAA championship.
Now, 36 years later and retired, Shondell will sit in the Worthen Arena stands Friday and Saturday and watch UCLA return to Muncie for a tournament that bares his name.
Despite the Bruins having won 17 more NCAA Championships since the last time they were at Ball State, Shondell said he has high expectations for the No. 14 Cardinals as they play two matches against No. 7 UCLA in the Don Shondell Challenge.
"We're right in this game," Shondell said. "We will have a couple great matches, and I'm going to be disappointed if we didn't at least get a split."
COMING FROM THE WEST
UCLA coach Al Scates said he was surprised earlier this week when he found out every player on his team had a winter coat for their road matches at Ball State.
Playing a majority of its matches on the West Coast and in Hawaii, Friday's match will be the first time UCLA will play a regular season road match against a team from the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association since the 1994 season.
Ball State coach Joel Walton said because of their NCAA Championships and the dynasty they have established, playing the Bruins is always a special occasion. He also said it's rarer to get a home match against them.
"It's pretty significant when you play them," Walton said. "It's like playing Michigan in football, Kentucky in basketball or playing the North Carolina women's soccer team. It's one of those kind of dynasties that they have built."
Senior libero Ian Peckler said the magnitude of UCLA coming to Ball State makes the match one of the most critical in recent school history.
"This is the biggest match I've been associated with here at Ball State," he said.
In the last five seasons, two schools from the MIVA have traveled to Los Angles to play the Bruins - accumulating a 0-4 record.
Outside attacker Patrick Durbin said the Bruins probably originally agreed to play this weekend's matches because of their dominance in previous seasons.
"They took this game probably thinking it was going to be an easy two wins on their record, but with the way we're playing and the way we're seeing them play, it's going to be an all-out war. They are going to have to battle to get anything from us."
Ball State enters this match having won nine of its last 10 matches, including getting three consecutive wins against nationally ranked teams. In addition, the Cardinals are in first place in the MIVA and were nationally ranked Monday for the first time this season in the coaches poll.
UCLA is in fifth place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and has lost three of its last four matches.
Al Scates said his team has not been playing to its abilities in recent matches. He also said he might start some players in different positions to find the right lineup.
"I'm looking for anyone who will stand up and take charge," Scates said.
Walton said for the Cardinals, the most important thing is to have a balanced offensive attack and not rely on one player.
In the last three wins against nationally ranked teams, Ball State has had at least three players finish the match with more than 10 kills.
"If we lean on anyone too heavy, UCLA will pick up on that," Walton said.
Durbin said the Cardinals have a good chance to win these matches, which are important given their significance.
"This is by far the best non-conference game right here - playing UCLA here at home with maybe a chance to beat them twice and be able to do something our program has never done," he said.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
Throughout the two programs' history, UCLA has won 22 of 23 matches against the Cardinals.
However, the Cardinals players said they remember most vividly the last three losses.
Last season Ball State traveled to Los Angeles during Spring Break and was swept in two matches, including the Cardinals losing the last match 30-20, 30-22, 30-11. In addition, Ball State lost its season opener to UCLA on Jan. 3 at the Outrigger Invitational in Hawaii.
"If you look at Spring Break last season, we went out to UCLA and got wiped, got killed by them, and earlier we were out in Hawaii, given we didn't play terrible, but we didn't play up to our potential," Chamberlain said. "We've just made a steady incline so far this whole season and playing much, much better every match."
Since losing to three nationally ranked opponents at the Outrigger Invitational, the Cardinals are 3-3 against nationally ranked teams.
Also, at the Outrigger Invitational, Ball State was without starting outside attackers and team kill leaders Todd Chamberlain and Patrick Durbin.
"We know they are beatable," Pheister said. "If we play a good match we can beat them. We played them last year and got embarrassed at their place, and in Hawaii we didn't have a full team."
Since playing against Ball State, UCLA has dropped four places in the coaches poll and is 6-7 against teams currently ranked in the top-15 rankings.
Scates said his biggest concern is getting his team ready to make a run at winning its 20th NCAA Championship.
"For me it's peaking at playoff time," Scates said.
WEST COAST BIAS
Beyond the trying to get wins, the Cardinals said they want to use these matches as an opportunity to send a clear message through the nation: Ball State can beat any team.
With a team from the West Coast having won all but one NCAA Championship since 1970, Chamberlain said there is a current stereotype that teams from the Midwest can't compete with the West Coast schools.
"Everyone is biased that they are better than Midwest teams and it just [ticks] me off sometimes," he said. "Across the United States there is a West Coast bias and everyone feels they are so much better."
This season teams from the MIVA are 3-10 against teams from the MPSF, with Cardinals getting one of those wins against the University of Pacific earlier this month.
Walton said it's frustrating to not see more MIVA schools beat teams from the West Coast. He also said the losses are partly why Ball State did not make it into the top-15 coaches poll until Monday.
"Honestly I'd like to see some of these West Coast teams getting knocked off by our MIVA teams because it gives us an opportunity to beat the team that beat the team from the West Coast," Walton said. "Unfortunately the West Coast prevailed and it just gives those West Coast teams more reason why, when they vote on the poll, they can put all the Midwest teams in a 10-15 ranking and move a pretty significant amount of West Coast teams into the top 10."
In the most recent coaches poll, eight teams from the West Coast were ranked in the top 10, including the No. 6 University of California at Irvine, which has a 9-9 record.
Durbin said West Coast coaches and players undervalue teams from the MIVA.
"Maybe it's just a stereotypical thing, but I don't think many West Coast teams have respect for any team not on the West Coast," Durbin said. "We are going to try to prove them things that are wrong in thinking that and they need to respect the Midwest."
Pheister said the belief that West Coast teams are better even extends to the club and high school levels.
"I've played club for four years and we've been going through this that the West Coast is so much better than the East Coast and the Midwest," he said. "Once we start winning these matches we will get some respect for the Midwest and that we do play good volleyball here. Their opinions are completely warranted because the Midwest doesn't win those big matches, and until we do that we're not going to get that recognition."
In addition, Pheister said he is confident for the Cardinals in both matches this weekend.
"We know that we're good; we know that we can play with every team in the country," he said. "The nation sees us as the underdog, but in our minds this our match to win or lose."
Scates said his players are not overlooking the Cardinals because of the close match they played against each other earlier this season. He also said teams from the MIVA are competitive against West Coast schools.
"Historically we have been better," Scates said. "All you have to do is look at the NCAA championship. There is no reason, though, why it should not even up eventually."
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