Cardinals prepare for postseason play

The Ball State men's volleyball is the first Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association teams to finish its regular season schedule.

Now, the Cardinals prepare for the postseason.

After defeating McKendree in its final game, Ball State enters the postseason with a 13-15 overall record, while currently sitting in sixth place in the MIVA at 6-10.

The final placement for the Cardinals is uncertain, and their first-round opponent will remain unknown until the rest of the league completes its schedules this weekend. 

While its opponent is uncertain, Ball State knows it will have to travel.

"All the teams are good. It's not like one [opponent] is going to be easier than the other," setter Hiago Garchet said. "[We will be] stepping into someone else's court and putting pressure on them. They have all the pressure."

While the Cardinals are not in the position they wanted entering the postseason, they have proven they can compete in a competitive league such as the MIVA.

Head coach Joel Walton hopes the 13-day break in between matches proves beneficial for his team, as the Cardinals have been plagued by injuries since the beginning of the season.

"As we've gone through the last part of the season, we're seeing other teams be challenged the same way," Walton said. "You see [injuries] happen every year, and that's where having a deep bench is so important."

In the second half of the season, Walton made it a priority to use a wide range of players every match.

While some will play more than others, the entire lineup has been tested throughout the season.  

The amount of experience is hidden within the underclassmen on the roster, and while Ball State remains one of the youngest teams in the MIVA teams there are upperclassmen who have been in this situation multiple times before.

As a junior, Garchet will look to guide the team's younger players through the postseason process. 

"[The upperclassmen] have to step up and show some leadership," Garchet said. "I feel like we've been struggling a little bit this season. Playoffs is a different thing, you may play a team that's better than you, but if you play well in that moment you can win. That's what we're looking to do."

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