Thursday, February 5
Muncie, Ind.
7:30 P.M.
Purdue Fort Wayne
at
Ball State
Mastodons Face In-State Rival Ball State in Top-15 Showdown
2/4/2015 2:56:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The 10th ranked (American Volleyball Coaches Association) IPFW men's volleyball team heads to in-state rival No. 13 Ball State on Thursday, January 5 at 7:30 p.m.
• Alex Harthaller was named National Freshman of the Week from Off the Block. Harthaller earned a combined 19 kills, seven digs, four blocks, and four assists against Lindenwood and Quincy.
• The Mastodons are currently ranked No. 10 in the AVCA Top-15 Poll.
• Arnie Ball returns to his alma mater for the final scheduled match of his career. Ball graduated from Ball State in 1967.
• IPFW is 27-66 all-time against Ball State, and have fell to the Cardinals in the previous four matches. The 'Dons are 12-29 all-time in Muncie, Ind.
• The Mastodons will play 13 matches with teams which were ranked or received votes in the AVCA Preseason Top-15 Poll, including two matches against defending NCAA champion Loyola-Chicago.
• Mastodon head coach Arnie Ball is in his final season wearing Blue and White before entering retirement. Ball has the third-most wins (559) among active coaches and the fifth-most overall. Ball was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2012.
Location: Muncie, Ind. | John E. Worthen Arena (11,500)
Live Stats: Ball State Live Stats
Series History: Ball State leads 66-27
• Luis Bertran enters the match as the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week after earning a combined 19 digs against the Lions and Hawks. Bertran has totaled 83 digs on the year, averaging 2.44 per set.
• Andrew Sellan leads the 'Dons with 120 kills, while Alex Harthaller has earned 18 aces. Omar Rivera has paced IPFW with 369 assists (10.85 per set).
• Shane Witmer leads the Cardinals with 59 kills, while Matt Sutherland follows closely behind with 58. Brendan Surane sits second in the MIVA with 14 aces.
• Defensively, Ball State is led by David Vander Meer's 68 digs and Matt Walsh's 50 blocks.
QUICK HITTERS
• Luis Bertran was named MIVA Defensive Player of the Week for the ending on February 1. Bertran finished the week with 19 digs (6.33 per set), including 10 against Lindenwood. Bertran earned nine digs and seven assists against Quincy.• Alex Harthaller was named National Freshman of the Week from Off the Block. Harthaller earned a combined 19 kills, seven digs, four blocks, and four assists against Lindenwood and Quincy.
• The Mastodons are currently ranked No. 10 in the AVCA Top-15 Poll.
• Arnie Ball returns to his alma mater for the final scheduled match of his career. Ball graduated from Ball State in 1967.
• IPFW is 27-66 all-time against Ball State, and have fell to the Cardinals in the previous four matches. The 'Dons are 12-29 all-time in Muncie, Ind.
• The Mastodons will play 13 matches with teams which were ranked or received votes in the AVCA Preseason Top-15 Poll, including two matches against defending NCAA champion Loyola-Chicago.
• Mastodon head coach Arnie Ball is in his final season wearing Blue and White before entering retirement. Ball has the third-most wins (559) among active coaches and the fifth-most overall. Ball was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2012.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, February 5 | 7:30 p.m.Location: Muncie, Ind. | John E. Worthen Arena (11,500)
Live Stats: Ball State Live Stats
Series History: Ball State leads 66-27
Last Meeting: IPFW 1, Ball State 3 | March 11, 2014 | Muncie, Ind.
SCOUTING THE MASTODONS
IPFW is coming off consecutive MIVA sweeps of Lindenwood and Quincy, improving their overall record to 7-2.SCOUTING THE MASTODONS
• Luis Bertran enters the match as the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week after earning a combined 19 digs against the Lions and Hawks. Bertran has totaled 83 digs on the year, averaging 2.44 per set.
• Andrew Sellan leads the 'Dons with 120 kills, while Alex Harthaller has earned 18 aces. Omar Rivera has paced IPFW with 369 assists (10.85 per set).
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. BALL STATE
The Cardinals lead the all-time series 66-27 over IPFW, including a 29-12 record in Muncie. The Mastodons have dropped the last four meetings against Ball State. The 'Dons last win over the Cardinals came in 3-1 fashion in Muncie on February 13, 2013.SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
Ball State is coming off a weekend sweep of Quincy and Lindenwood to open MIVA play. The Cardinals sit 7-1 overall, including a win over then-No. 10 Penn State on January 16.• Shane Witmer leads the Cardinals with 59 kills, while Matt Sutherland follows closely behind with 58. Brendan Surane sits second in the MIVA with 14 aces.
• Defensively, Ball State is led by David Vander Meer's 68 digs and Matt Walsh's 50 blocks.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Players Mentioned
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OPP
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PFW vs Lindenwood (Mens Volleyball)
Friday, February 28
PFW vs Queens (Mens Volleyball)
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