Michael Sam will face a daunting set of challenges that most rookies don’t have to deal with when making the already formidable jump from college to the NFL. The U.S.
_Matt McKinney is a junior journalism major and writes ‘Killer Crossover’ for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
After utilizing a 17-2 run to come back in the first half, Ball State committed enough turnovers to lose their chance at upsetting 20-3 Toledo. The Cardinals opened up with a turnover not even 15 seconds into the second half.
Nothing was going right. The Ball State men’s volleyball players’ attacks were being rejected at the net by Princeton University’s two- and three-person blocks.
Looking to get back on the winning side, Ball State’s women’s basketball team went on the road and beat Northern Illinois, 63-50. Sophomore forward Nathalie Fontaine paced the Cardinals with 18 points, leading an offense that shot a season-high 50 percent. Six of those points came from three-pointers: shots that Fontaine isn’t used to attempting.
After four years of training at Ball State, Keith Wenning is in Indianapolis training once again, this time for a chance at the NFL.
Ball State came back to knock off Princeton University Saturday night after dropping the first two sets and winning in five (21-25), (19-25), (22-20), (26-24), (15-4). Cardinals outside attacker Marcin Niemczewski set a new career-high in kills with 25, adding seven digs. The offense struggled as a whole during the first two sets, hitting .000 partway through the second set. With the third set tied at 16, Ball State went on a 4-0 run spurred by kills on behalf of Niemczewski and Matt Sutherland.
Ball State gave Mid-American Conference leader Toledo all it could handle Saturday afternoon in its 80-73 loss, falling to 4-17 on the year. The Cardinals played with strong effort in a game where personal fouls seemed to take dominance over the play of both teams. “They’re 20-3,” Ball State basketball head coach James Whitford said.
Ball State freshman point guard Zavier Turner faced some big challenges this season, but perhaps none bigger than Saturday’s matchup guarding Toledo’s point guard Julius “Juice” Brown, a member of the preseason All-MAC team. The matchup didn’t disappoint for those watching at Worthen Arena.
The basketball ended up in the hands of Ball State junior guard Brittany Carter for a final desperation three-point heave in overtime. With six seconds remaining in the extra period, Ball State needed a three-pointer to tie and go to double overtime with the Mid-American Conference leading Central Michigan Chippewas. Carter missed the three-point attempt from the left corner, as the ball fell just short of the hoop, keeping Central Michigan perfect in MAC play at 10-0. “What we were trying to do was back screen with Shelby Merder,” Ball State head coach Brady Sallee said.
Holding a 19-point lead in the second half, not many things could have doomed the Ball State women’s basketball team. An offensive explosion from Crystal Bradford was one of them. Central Michigan’s Bradford had just two points at half time but scored 24 in the final 25 minutes to knock off Ball State 84-81 in overtime. “I expected that kind of performance from her,” Ball State head coach Brady Sallee said.
The Ball State women’s tennis team started the season strong, owning a 5-1 record, including wins over Valparaiso, Michigan State and Cleveland State.
The Ball State men’s basketball team traveled to New York and lost against Buffalo on Wednesday evening. The Cardinals could not reproduce the results from its Jan.
Ball State men’s volleyball head coach Joel Walton ran his finger down the left side of a freshly printed roster, looking for players who didn’t have the luxury of playing for a high school team. There were just three out of 19.
Ball State has gone to Chris Bond in late-game situations. At the end of regulation and overtime against Northern Illinois, senior forward Chris Bond was the player for Ball State with a chance to score.
Members of the Ball State men’s basketball program walked off Worthen Arena’s hardwood floor with their fists clenched in the air and their heads high Jan.
Ball State men’s volleyball players Marcin Niemczewski and David Ryan Vander Meer won weekly awards for their efforts against IPFW, according to an email from Jessica Souto, media relations assistant director. Niemczewski was named the AVCA player of the week.
At the beginning of the season, the Ball State men’s basketball team exhibited youth, experience and variety in its roster. Cardinals head coach James Whitford would commonly use a rotation that consisted of four freshmen, Zavier Turner, Franko House, Mark Alstork, Quinten Payne, and sophomore Bo Calhoun as they started off 2-2. “That’s the team you’re going to see all season,” Whitford said.
_David Polaski is a junior journalism and telecommunications major and writes ‘Dave’s Digs’ for the Daily News.
When Ball State played IPFW Friday, the players knew they’d need to have their best defensive effort of the season. But with Shane Witmer’s solo block atthe end of the match, the Cardinals accomplished that goal. “The blockers played a great game, and when attackers are forced to go around that, you’ve got a great picture of the ball,” Ball State libero David Ryan Vander Meer said.
