Outside attacker Lee Meyer had a match-high 14 kills as the Ball State University men's volleyball team swept Rutgers-Newark University 30-25, 30-27, 30-28 on Saturday in Newark, N.J.
Meyer opened the match with seven kills in the first game and was the only Cardinal to have at least 10 kills in the victory against the Division II team.
"Lee is our terminal on the left side," coach Joel Walton said. "Teams are struggling defending him, and he was that again [Saturday]."
This is the first time Meyer has led the team in kills since having 18 kills in a four-game loss against Quincy University in mid-February. The junior is leading the Cardinals with 198 kills this season.
Along with Meyer, middle attacker J.D. Gasparovic had eight kills and a match-high .636 attack percentage. Freshman outside attacker Larry Wrather also had seven kills, one day after having a career-high 16 kills.
Walton said he liked Meyer and Wrather's offensive production, but was most impressed with their passing and defense against Rutgers-Newark.
The two left outside attackers had a combined nine digs as Ball State (12-7, 4-4 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) out-dug Rutgers-Newark 36-29.
After having seven starting combinations at the two starting left outside attacker positions this season, Walton said Meyer and Wrather have asserted themselves as the two permanent starters.
"They have played consistently," Walton said. "This [road] trip they have done things we need to do to win."
Ball State out-hit Rutgers-Newark .244 to .119. Entering the match with a .204 opponent attack percentage season average, this was the Cardinals' second lowest opponent attack percentage in their last seven matches.
In addition, the Cardinals held the Scarlet Raiders (7-10, 5-0 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) to a match-low -.030 attack percentage in the first game.
This is Ball State's 14th consecutive victory against Rutgers-Newark, including a five-game win in January at Worthen Arena.
With this victory, the Cardinals completed the sweep of their two-match East Coast road trip. Ball State defeated George Mason University in four games on Friday.
Ball State's next match will be against No. 3 Cal State Northridge on Friday at Worthen Arena.
Despite being winless against nationally ranked teams this season, Walton said Ball State is entering this home match playing its best volleyball.
"We are starting to make strides and we are making progress," he said. "We are talented enough to win, and we just have to do the things necessary."
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