It's been said that twice is a pattern, and three times is a habit. Senior Matt Walsh has officially made winning weekly awards a habit. The middle attacker earned his third Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Player of the Week honor for his performances in No. 11 Ball State men's volleyball's victories over McKendree and No. 7 Ohio State.
The Chicago native was his usual efficient self in both victories, tallying 14 kills and nine blocks on Senior Night in a memorable 3-2 comeback victory over the two-time defending national champion Buckeyes. Walsh's 14th kill was the match-winner for Ball State, fittingly capping off the team's comeback win.
Against McKendree, Walsh totaled seven kills and a .417 hitting percentage, contributing to a dominant effort from the Cardinals.
The 6-foot-11 senior currently sits 8th in the country in blocks per set with 1.179, and his .387 hitting percentage places him 11th in the nation. In the MIVA, Walsh ranks 11th in total kills with 253.
Not only did Walsh's weekend performances lead to a MIVA Defensive Player of the Week award, but they also helped the Cardinals lock up the third seed in the MIVA Tournament. Ball State will host McKendree in the quarterfinal round at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Worthen Arena.
Contact Nate Fields with comments at nefields@bsu.edu or on Twitter @NateNada.
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