The men's volleyball team will conclude its longest road trip of the season this weekend. The team will also look to snap its four-game losing streak. The Cardinals (14-5 overall, 8-0 MIVA) will face Lewis and Quincy.
No. 8 Ball State starts its "bigger than big" weekend against No. 11 Lewis (14-7, 8-1). The Cards handed Lewis its only Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association loss of the season, a 30-20, 30-22, 30-32, 30-27 victory in early February. Head coach Joel Walton says that winning at Lewis as well as against Quincy would mean a two-game lead over Lewis and would help the team avoid a tiebreaker as season's end.
The Lewis loss is the only space between the two teams vying for the conference's top spot and with the MIVA tournament eight games away, a win would increase Ball State's lead over Lewis.
"This match is very important in deciding who will win the regular season title," Walton says. "We want to make sure it's us."
Ball State will face Quincy (14-5, 7-4) for the second time this season as well. Walton says Quincy, sporting a 10-4 home record, can play well when at home. He also admits the fans can make Quincy's Pepsi Arena a tough place to play.
"Anytime you're playing somebody on their home court, there is the potential for their fans to get on you and razz you a little bit," Walton says.
The match will have added pressure. Quincy is promoting it as "Pack the House Night" to, Walton says, "get rowdy and get behind their team." He expects to see one of Quincy's largest crowd of the season. Their target goal is 1000; their average is 319 per game.
Walton says the weekend is "significant to our season." He says it is important for the team to realize the importance of the weekend and desires for the team to "get back on track and re-establish their confidence."
Walton says the weekend will be a "real indicator of just what our team is made of." He says that the team can do either of two things and only one is needed.
"If by chance we back down in these matches and play timid or afraid, we've got some serious problems," Walton says. "If our guys come out aggressive and play confident, that is what I would expect. That is what we need them to do this weekend."
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