Team comparisons
Ball State
Kills - 1,201
Assists - 1,136
Aces - 94
Digs - 932
McKendree
Kills - 1,083
Assists - 1,030
Aces - 83
Digs - 776
Ball State has already beaten McKendree in both of its matches this season.
Both previously played matches were tight, however. The first match, the Cardinals fell behind 2-0 before coming back to win three straight set victories behind the offensive performance of junior outside attacker Brendan Surane. The second match came on Ball State's Senior Night, where the Cardinals won 3-1 behind the play of seniors Hiago Garchet, Jack Lesure and Marcin Niemczewski.
“McKendree is a very good team; they run good offense,” head coach Joel Walton said. “They have some people that can get back and serve well, they have players that are really physical, as physical as any players that we have in our league.”
This time around will be different for Ball State, however, as both Surane and Lesure sustained injuries on April 8 at Lewis. Surane suffered a third-degree ankle sprain, and Lesure received a concussion after receiving a spike to the face prior to the match.
Neither of the two practiced on April 13 and continue to be evaluated by trainers throughout the week.
Losing the two is causing some confusion in the lineup for Walton.
“One of the challenges this week is we have had to shift a couple of players around,” Walton said. "We're trying to figure out what our best personnel set is going to be for [April16]."
Surane has led the Cardinals' offensive attack all season; his 253 kills is top among his teammates and 10th-best in the MIVA.
Due to the injuries, junior outside attackers Austin Overby and Mike Scannell will be playing as both right- and left-side attackers.
Niemczewski is also the first option on the right side to replace Surane if he cannot play, a role he held before this season.
“For the last three years he’s been a primary starter for us, so it’s not like we're falling back to a guy who hasn’t played in that role already,” Walton said. “Were actually moving back to where our senior is going to be starting rather than our junior in that position.”
In the Cardinals' second matchup against McKendree, Niemczewski led the Cardinals in kills with 14 and a .312 hitting percentage.
Walton has nothing but confidence for Niemczewski to fill the roll.
“[Niemczewski] is very capable, he just has to be ready to step on the court this weekend and play a good match,” Walton said.
Ball State will also need to shut down junior middle back Wyatt Patterson of McKendree. Patterson ranks third in the MIVA in hitting percentage with .452. Walton said one way Ball State can slow down Patterson's offense is by having an effective night of serves.
“If [McKendree is] passing well and we're not doing a good job with our serve, not moving their setter off the net, then Patterson becomes a really good option,” Walton said.
In the Senior Night matchup against Ball State, Patterson had a hitting percentage of .462 and nine kills.
He is coached by the only female head coach in the MIVA, Nickie Sanlin.
“Nickie Sanlin is very well-respected,” Walton said. “She is somebody that when our staff coaches against their team, we respect how she coaches their team, and we think she’s done a very good job building that program.”
Outside of the MIVA, there is only one other female head coach for a men's volleyball program. She also coaches the women's team at McKendree.
The quarterfinal match begins at 7:30 p.m. April 16 in Worthen Arena. Admission is free for students, and tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth.
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