Maybe Ball State should just stay on the bus.
The Cardinals men’s volleyball team knocked off both Quincy and Lindenwood over the weekend, extending its road-winning streak to five.
Over those five matches, Ball State won 15 sets, each one by an average of over five points per set.
The team’s streak comes after it dropped its first two road matches, gaining experiences it has used to succeed as of late.
“We were tense, uptight, and that really translated into inability to play,” Ball State head coach Joel Walton said of his team’s early-season road loss against Penn State. “But against St. Francis, we showed the mentality you have to have to win on the road.”
Ball State also dropped the match against St. Francis, but showed focus on its game plan, a key factor the team has taken into its winning streak.
Against Lindenwood, Ball State dropped the first set before reestablishing focus. The Cardinals went on to win the match (23-25), (25-21), (25-20), (25-17).
Outside attacker Larry Wrather finished in a tiefor team-high kills with 12, and had the highest attack percentage (.346) out of all players with at least 20 attacks.
Walton said his team reversed its mentality for road matches after being blown out against Penn State, a match where Ball State lacked heart and intensity.
“[Against Lindenwood] Our guys were trying to get established in the first set and get used to the opposing servers,” he said. “It was like a warm-up period for us, but as we got into sets two, three and four, our guys really settled in.”
Dropping the first set has become a theme for Ball State during the win streak on the road. In three of the five victories, Ball State fell in the first set before bouncing back. Against IPFW, they fell into a two-set hole.
Much of the success can be placed on the shoulders of Ball State’s seniors. Being seasoned veterans, younger players play depending on how the upperclassmen act. By staying calm, Ball State has managed to stick to its game plan even when problems occur.
In the final set against Lindenwood, Ball State jumped to a quick 11-6 lead and extended it to 21-13, never allowing its opponent to gain confidence. The team quickly went on to win the match, erasing the memory of dropping the first set.
After the match, they players got back on the bus, where they’ve seemed awfully comfortable this season.
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