Standout defensive performance helps Ball State split series with BYU
By Daniel Kehn / February 6, 2022In the past week, Ball State Men’s Volleyball has defeated no. 1 ranked Hawaii and split matches with no. 9 BYU.
In the past week, Ball State Men’s Volleyball has defeated no. 1 ranked Hawaii and split matches with no. 9 BYU.
Several Cardinals used the extended break from the cancellation to their advantage by placing in multiple events in the Meyo Invitational hosted by Notre Dame Feb. 4-5.
24 points and 12 rebounds made up the performance, along with three steals and two blocks on defense. Kiefer’s play along with all four other Cardinals' starters scoring in double figures led the Ball State to a 91-80 victory over Bowling Green.
In Ball State’s 93-83 victory against Toledo, the Cardinals shot 14-for-29 from the 3-point line and totaled 17 assists. Bumbalough said the offense opened up because they emphasized sharing the ball.
Graduate student libero Colin Ensalaco led the Cardinals with 12 digs while senior middle blocker Felix Egharevba finished with a team-high six blocks. Cruz said Ball State will learn from this loss and be prepared mentally and physically for the second match of the series.
Junior guard Demarius Jacobs set the tone for what would become a 3-point shooting barrage the rest of the game in Ball State Men’s Basketball’s 93-83 win over Toledo, as he made a 3-pointer in the corner on the first possession.
Now, J. is the head coach of Ball State Swimming and Diving, and Neely’s swimming career has come full circle as she is in her first season with the Cardinals. Even when she wasn’t swimming, the now-redshirt freshman backstroke swimmer knew there was something drawing her to the sport.
The small city of 5,500 people, a 30-minute drive north of Muncie, represents the love the community has for Brown and the impact he made in his four years at Blackford High School from 2017-21.
In each of the last three wins, freshman Ally Becki has set a new career-high for points. Becki scored 27 points against the Bobcats and tallied eight assists and six rebounds. Sallee believes Becki, like the rest of the Cardinals, is discovering her identity with more experience.
After Saturday night’s thrilling upset with Ball State Men's Volleyball beating Hawaii, the Cardinals hopped five places in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll (AVCA) to 10th while Hawaii’s grasp on the No. 1 spot remained firm despite the loss.
Ball State Men's Swimming (2-1, 0-1 MAC) defeated Bellarmine (2-4) 162-100 Jan. 28, while Ball State Women's Swimming (3-3, 1-3 MAC) beat Bellarmine (3-6) 157-99.
I attended the WWE's most recent event, the Royal Rumble, Jan. 29 in St. Louis, MO. It was one of the most fun experiences of my life.
Ball State (10-10, 5-4 MAC) defeated Western Michigan (4-16, 0-9 MAC) 83-72 Jan. 29, and head coach James Whitford said the consecutive charges from Sparks and Thomas represented the Cardinals toughness.
Junior guard Malik Hasani scored eight points but was held scoreless in the second half. Junior forward Antonio Gore also scored eight points while grabbing seven rebounds. Junior guard Daniel Harris added five points, but no Bearcat other than Hasani, Gore and Harris scored more than two points.
For the Owls, junior guards Colin McBride and Bryce Karnes combined for 36 of their 50 points. McBride scored a team-high 21 points while contributing four assists. Karnes scored 15 points and finished with seven rebounds.
The Cardinals hit .410 off 78 attacks against the Rainbow Warriors, spearheaded by senior outside attacker Kaleb Jenness with 19 kills. Jenness said Ball State felt energized for its opportunity to defeat Hawaii.
Redshirt junior forward Miryne Thomas said the confidence is high, as Ball State Men’s Basketball’s went on to win, 83-72 over Western Michigan and the Cardinals’ first three-game winning streak of the season.
The Bearcats came back from a double-digit deficit to knock off their in-city rival, Burris.
Despite their short time together, though, the Cardinals have chosen their Everest: their 15th Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Tournament championship.
It’s an evolution, not a revolution, as the Cardinals turn to a “five-out” offense this season and do not label players by their positions. No more guards, forwards or centers. Instead, the Cardinals go by “crashers, backs and keys.”
