A five-game loss against a top-10 ranked team caught the eyes of several voters in the newest top 15 coaches poll.
Despite losing to No. 9 Penn State University last week, the Ball State University men's volleyball team received three more votes in this week's poll to stay at No. 15 for the second straight week.
The Cardinals (14-9, 5-4 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) received 20 votes. In addition to the loss against Penn State, Ball State swept IPFW on Saturday to clinch a conference tournament quarterfinals home match.
The coaches poll is comprised of 16 voters, including Ball State coach Joel Walton.
Penn State received 109 votes for the second consecutive week to remain No. 9 following its non-conference victories against Ball State and IPFW last week.
The Cardinals were one of three MIVA teams to be ranked in the poll.
Loyola University had 78 votes — five more votes than last week's poll — to jump up one spot and into a tie with UC Santa Barbara at No. 11. Ohio State University remained at No. 13 for the third consecutive week but received 58 votes — three fewer votes than in last week's poll.
With two MIVA regular season matches remaining, the Ramblers (18-3, 10-0 MIVA) are 1.5 matches ahead of the Buckeyes for first place. The two teams will play each other at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Columbus, Ohio.
Ball State's next match will be against Lewis University at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Romeoville, Ill.
The Flyers (16-7, 5-3 MIVA) received 14 votes in the new poll to be listed at No. 14. Prior to last week, Lewis had been ranked in 38 consecutive coaches poll before getting bounced out top 15 in place of Ball State — despite the Flyers defeating the Cardinals in five-games earlier this year.
Coaches poll
1. Stanford (16-5) — 232 (11) votes
2. BYU (18-7) — 218 (3) votes
3. Pepperdine (14-7) — 202 votes
4. Cal State Northridge (18-7) — 194 votes
5. Hawai'i (17-8) — 189 (1) votes
6. USC (13-9) — 158 votes
7. UCLA (14-11) — 134 votes
8. Long Beach State (12-13) — 125 votes
9. Penn State (20-5) — 109 votes
10. UC Irvine (12-13) — 88 votes
T-11. Loyola (18-3) — 78 votes
T-11. UC Santa Barbara (11-14) — 78 votes
13. Ohio State (16-7) — 58 votes
14. UC San Diego (8-17) — 24 votes
15. Ball State (14-9) — 20 votes
Others receiving votes: Lewis 14
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