LIVE STATS
WATCH LIVE

(Lebanon, Ill., Feb. 9) -- The McKendree University men's volleyball program will look to end a two-game skid on Saturday, as they will face the Ball State University Cardinals in a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association match at 7 pm inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. It will be the ninth meeting overall between the programs, with the Cardinals holding a 6-2 advantage in the series, although the Bearcats won the last match-up back in March of 2017. McKendree is coming off of a tough five-set loss against the Fort Wayne Mastodons on Wednesday, after falling in their home opener versus Grand Canyon last weekend.

Senior Nolan Rueter led McKendree against the Mastodons with 20 kills and five total blocks, while junior libero Zach Thompson collected a team-high 15 digs and senior setter Pasquale Fiduccia had 52 assists and nine digs as well on the evening. Senior middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) is currently hitting .450 with 82 total blocks, and leads the Bearcats with an average of more than one block per set. Freshman outside hitter Patrick Ross is leading McKendree in kills, averaging 2.68 per set on the season.
 

Ball State University Cardinals (5-5 overall, 0-0 MIVA)
The Cardinals are currently receiving votes in the AVCA men's volleyball top 15 poll, and opened conference play last night against the two defending national champion Ohio State University Buckeyes, falling in five sets. Ball State is led on offense by sophomore outside hitter Matt Szews, who is averaging 2.81 kills per set through eleven matches for the Cardinals. Senior middle hitter Matt Walsh is averaging over one total block per set, while Mitch Weiler leads his team in digs, averaging just under two per set.