Season Statistics
Sets played - 33
Kills - 100
Kills/Set - 3.03
Service Aces - 5
Total Blocks - 22
Ball State men's volleyball team has won its past four games and sits 2-0 in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. While the team has been playing winning as of late, it's in big part to junior outside attacker, Brendan Surane.
“I would say that I’m just going up there and hitting smart shots against the block," Surane said. "I have been seeing the block pretty well so far, and I have been really smart with how I’m using it.”
Surane is ranked fourth in the MIVA with 100 kills, for an average of 3.03 per set. His 6-foot-6-inches frame also allows him to play well on the other end of the ball, where he has 22 total blocks.
Surane finished as an Academic All MIVA selection, but it's his volleyball IQ and knowledge of multiple positions which have separated him as a player thus far.
“I hit the ball pretty high [against large blocks]. If they have a good form block, you don’t want to hit right at it,” Surane said.
Surane had a season-high 15 kills against Mckendree, on 46 total attempts. After a slight position switch from last season, Surane has come into his own early on.
Senior setter Hiago Garchet, knows Surane's tendencies, which made changing positions easier for both the passer and attacker.
“Honestly, it hasn’t been too difficult," Surane said. "I am working a lot in practice on it, and over the summer I played outside [attacker]."
Last season, Surane had 166 total kills as a middle and is more than on pace to beat that number as there is 18 games left in the regular season.
While he's on pace to have his best offensive season statistically, he doesn't want to take the credit.
“It’s easy to play well when your setter is throwing up great sets to kill, and when the middles are playing so well that the other team can’t leave them to block you," Surane said.
While it has been a team effort, Surane is playing well in other categories, as well. His 22 total blocks and five service aces are good enough to make him third best on the team.
He is also first in service errors, he finished with a team high 73, but also had 30 aces. This season, he is on pace to surpass that as he already has 29 service errors.
“I have been more focused on passing and playing defense because I am kind of new to that," Surane said. "So I have let my serve go down a little bit, if I can get those three things down that would be great."
No. 13 Ball State will play host to IPFW at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 in Worthen Arena. The Cardinals come into the match with a 7-3 overall record, compared to the Mastodons 4-6 season start.
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