Almost nine months after its season ended in Worthen Arena, Lewis University will return to the same arena for the first time.
The Ball State University men's volleyball team will play Lewis at 7 p.m. This match marks the first time the teams have played each other since the Cardinals swept the Flyers in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament quarterfinals last season.
"Yeah I say [tonight's match] is a little bit of extra motivation," Lewis' coach Dan Friend said. "I'm sure there is a little added to it."
Ball State (2-5, 1-1 MIVA) enters this season's match after going 1-1 last weekend, with a four-game loss to No. 3 Penn State University and a rally from two-games back victory against St. Francis University.
Lewis (3-2, 0-0 MIVA) is currently listed as the No. 16 team in the nation and has won three of its last four matches. The Flyers' one loss that stretch was in a five-game home defeat to No. 1 Brigham Young University.
Ball State coach Joel Walton said Lewis has extra motivation not only because Ball State eliminated it from the conference tournament but also because this is the second season the Flyers are eligible for the postseason. During the 2005-0606 season, Lewis was banned from the conference tournament because of NCAA rule violations.
"They have been to the pinnacle and competed at the highest levels of our conference and won conference championships," Walton said. "After serving their penalties and being able to play for the first time in the postseason, I'm sure their goal is continue to excelled and don't want to be the fifth- or sixth-best team in our conference any more."
In the MIVA preseason coach's poll, Lewis was predicted to finish the season in third place. Ball State was projected to finish in fifth place.
"A lot of people are talking about us and Lewis having down years, and with Lewis being a little bit better," libero Ian Peckler said. "They're thinking Lewis may be a little bit better than us and we have to prove to them and all the preseason rankings aren't correct."
In addition to today's match being a rematch of last season's MIVA Tournament quarterfinals, it will feature two players who are currently in the conference's top eight for kills. Ball State outside attacker Patrick Durbin is second in the MIVA averaging 4.80 kills per game and Lewis outside attacker Jared Dayton is averaging 3.62 kills per game.
"It's going to be fun, both of us swinging from the left side [of the court]," Durbin said. "I've seen Jared play for five years and we're a lot alike. We both swing at high points and we lead our team."
Dayton finished with a team high in kills in the three matches between Ball State and Lewis last season, including his 12 kills in the Flyers' quarterfinals loss.
Peckler said the Cardinals need to do multiple things to keep Dayton from a productive match.
"We have to get a lot of touches up at the net and that will make it easier for our backcourt players to pick up balls," Peckler said. "And we have to serve to him and keep him out of his attacking rhythm."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
