Don Shondell had to give a little chuckle when thinking about the upcoming matchup between two All-American middle attackers this weekend in the invitational that bears his name.
The Hall of Famer and former Ball State University men's volleyball coach had been looking forward to seeing Ball State's J.D. Gasparovic go up against California State University Northridge's Jacek Ratajczak.
After waiting for a week, Shondell will get to see that matchup in person at Worthen Arena as Ball State plays No. 3 Cal State Northridge at 7:30 p.m. in the annual Don Shondell Challenge.
"It sure is a great match," Shondell said. "To see our team the way we're playing now and Cal State Northridge it's going to be a treat."
Gasparovic enters this match with a .411 attack percentage — best in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association and 12th best in the nation. The junior also is in the nation's top 15 averaging 1.28 blocks per game.
Ratajczak is fourth in the nation with a .481 attack percentage but is averaging fewer blocks per game than Gasparovic at 1.01. In Cal State Northridge's last match — a sweep against No. 12 Loyola University — Ratajczak had a .706 attack percentage and a match-high 13 kills.
Ball State coach Joel Walton said it is going to be difficult for either team to stop the middle attackers from having good matches. The coach said the team that has better production from the middle attackers will most likely win the match.
"It's going to be a challenge for both teams," Walton said. "These are teams that rely on their middle attackers."
Gasparovic and Andres Nelson both have more than 290 attack attempts this season. The two are on pace to have the most attack attempts in a single season for a starting middle attacker combination since the start of the rally scoring era.
Gasparovic has had at least the second-most kills for Ball State in four of its last five matches.
"It doesn't matter if he's playing ranked or non-ranked teams, he consistently puts up good numbers," Walton said.
Walton said Gasparovic, a 2009 Volleyball Magazine Second Team All-American, has the potential to be considered one of the best middle attackers in Ball State's history.
Having coached Ball State for 34 years before retiring in 1998, Shondell said Gasparovic and Nelson is one of the best combinations at middle attacker in the program's 46-year history.
"I think these guys are as good as we have had, and we've had some good middles," Shondell said. "We've been trying to lean on these guys all year."
This will be the second time this season Ball State has gone head-to-head against an All-American middle attacker. In a three-game loss to No 6 Penn State University, Gasparovic matched two-time All-American Max Lipsitz with five blocks, but Lipsitz had 12 kills — seven more than Gasparovic — and a higher attack percentage at .733.
One challenge in defending against Ratajczak, Walton said, is his size.
At 7-foot-2, Ratajczak will be the tallest player the Cardinals will go up against all season. In addition, he is 7 inches taller than Gasparovic and 5 inches taller than Nelson.
Walton said Ball State has spent time in practice this week scouting Ratajczak and working to take away specific shots he likes to hit. However, if Ratajczak is able to fully jump and hit the ball at high points, Walton said, it will become hard to block his kill attempts at the net.
"If you can't block it with your front row than your back better be up to doing the job," the coach said.
Along with Ratajczak, the Matadors' other starting middle attacker, Kevin McKniff, is third in the nation with a .495 attack percentage.
Cal State Northridge coach Jeff Campbell said both his middle attackers are having All-American caliber seasons.
"What makes our middles so good is that we have guys that can pass the ball to the net and getting both Jacek and Kevin the ball," Campbell said. "Jacek and Kevin have had a great year, and that has been because of great team play."
Campbell said he has been impressed watching Gasparovic this season. The coach said he is looking forward to the matchup between some of the better middle attackers in the nation.
Ball State enters this match winless against nationally ranked teams this season. The Cardinals have not beaten a top five team since defeating then-No. 4 IPFW in February 1999.
Walton said though his team has the capabilities of getting an upset victory this weekend.
"It's a chance to send a message," he said. "Our guys are excited and just need to relax into the play. It's not that we don't have into skills. We just lack in consistency."
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