Final stats
Kills
Ball State: 63
Harvard: 78
Attack percentage
Ball State: .295
Harvard: .335
Assists:
Ball State 60
Harvard: 76
Blocks:
Ball State: 11.5
Harvard: 6
Nearly every statistic in the box score says the Ball State men’s volleyball team should have lost.
It was out hit and had fewer assists and digs — three areas critical to winning a match. But Ball State finished with three set wins to Harvard’s two, the only statistic that matters.
The five set comeback win (18-25) (26-24) (20-25) (25-19) (16-14) required the Cardinals to fight through fatigue, a strong Crimson offense and miscommunications. The win improved Ball State’s record to 15-5.
Walton said fatigue played a factor in the first three sets, where Ball State was always a step behind Harvard on offense and defense.
“We got back on our heels a little bit,” he said. “We dug in where we’d be ready if the ball came right to us, but if we had to pursue, it’s very hard to take that first step.”
Harvard took advantage of the tired Ball State squad that played in a four set win against Lees-McRae less than 24 hours earlier. When attacks slipped by the block, they often came down between two defenders who’s feet seemed like they were encased in mud.
After dropping the first set, Ball State rebounded to take the second despite being outhit .382 to .342. Middle attacker Matt Leske served two aces in the set and the team added three blocks to offset the hitting differential, while outside attacker Matt Sutherland added five kills.
Leske finished with 14 kills, second most on the team, Sutherland had 13 to set a new-career high.
“We have a lot of confidence because we’ve come back to win a few times this year,” Sutherland said. “We had a rough start but we finished in the end.”
Coming out of the intermission, Harvard jumped out to a quick 11-6 lead. When Ball State outside attacker Marcin Niemczewski sent a kill long, Walton called a timeout. NIemczewski led Ball State with 17 kills, but looked tired and lacked explosion in the final three sets, a result of Saturday’s match, and took 45 swings against Harvard.
The blocking wall that has stumped the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association all season was nearly invisible. Most of Harvard’s attacks went untouched and Ball State registered just five blocks in the first three sets.
Trailing two sets to one, Leske ignited the Ball State offense to start the fourth set. He recorded kills for Ball State’s first three points and added a solo block, one of two on the night.
After a kill from Leske put Ball State at set point, fellow middle attacker Kevin Owens put away an attack to clinch the set and force a decisive fifth game. Heading into it, Ball State was 2-0 in matches that reached a fifth game, with Sutherland giving credit to preparation.
“Lots of hard work, determination and we know we’re always good in the fifth game,” he said.
The Cardinals took a 4-1 lead, forcing a Crimson timeout.
With the effects of playing 9 sets in less than a day starting to show, Ball State began struggling to get its attack over the Harvard block. Taking advantage, Harvard rallied to tie the set at 14, before the match turned on one play.
Shane Witmer, who had struggled all match, rose up for an attack. At one point in the match he had just one kill on 14 attacks and finished with five on 27.
None were bigger than his final kill. With the match on the line, he tooled an attack off the Harvard wall that fell to the ground, giving Ball State a one point lead. An attack error from Harvard’s Nick Maddon would seal the Ball State victory.
“For sure it builds Shane’s confidence to have an opportunity to swing big at that moment,” Walton said. “He’s a crafty attacker and he’s hitting tips and rolls and moving the ball around, so when he takes a good rip, it can take teams by surprise.”
Few things went right for Ball State, but when they did, it was at the right time.
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