Cardinals drop the ball against spikers

NEWARK, N.J. -- As Ball State walked into the Golden Dome Arena in Newark, N.J., Friday night, the No. 8 Cardinals had two goals in mind.

They hoped to stay undefeated by upsetting No. 2 Penn State, and they wanted to prove they deserved a higher ranking -- one more fitting for their then perfect 9-0 record.

Ball State played well against the Nittany Lions, but lost in a five-set nail-bitter. The Cardinals proved they deserved to be in the top 10 but also learned they need to improve in upcoming weeks.

"We used this match as a measuring stick," Ball State outside hitter Jeff Hisgen said. "We wanted to see where we were at -- obviously we have a little work to do."

The Cardinals have a solid roster, but their match against the Lions was their first against a ranked opponent. They had the talent to hang with Lions, but they lacked the mental edge needed to win.

"We made too many errors at critical times," Ball State coach Don Shondell said. "We're a good enough team that we shouldn't do that."

As the season wears on, it is likely that the errors will diminish and the Cardinals will gain momentum as they attempt to earn their third Final Four appearance in four years.

Ball State is consistently one of the top teams in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. It has not finished lower than second in the division since 1980.

The Cardinals look to All-American setter Eduardo Ferraz for on-court leadership. Ferraz, a native of Brazil, is a four-year starter for Ball State and second on the school's career assist list.

"Eddie Ferraz is probably the best setter in country," Penn State coach Mark Pavlik said. "He's capable of just carrying his team on his back."

A setter can only be as good as the players around him, and the players around Ferraz happen to be quite good.

Jason Fehr and Phil Eatherton lead the way for the Cardinal offense. Both rank in the top five in the country in hitting percentage, giving Ferraz two effective players to set to.

Perhaps the most important element in Ball State's success is not on the court but on the sidelines. The Cardinals are led by legendary coach Don Shondell, who has been Ball State's coach for 33 years and amassed a career mark of 732-254. His wealth of experience can only benefit his players.

"I've only been alive for 37 years," Pavlik said, "so Don has forgotten more good volleyball than I have seen."

Shondell will need to call on his experience to help find a way to get his team back on the winning track. The Cardinals eagerly await their next shot at knocking off Penn State, which comes in two weeks at the Hall of Fame Classic Tournament in Springfield, Mass.

"We're looking forward to Springfield," Shondell said. "We won't be thinking of much else until then."