Ball State's Billy Ebel Collects Fifth MIVA Defensive Award
MUNCIE, Ind. - - For the second straight week, and the fifth time this season, Ball State men's volleyball senior libero Billy Ebel (Lenexa, Kan./Bishop Miege H.S.) has been named the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week, as announced today by the league office.
This is the first year for the league's weekly defensive award, and Ebel leads all league players with five selections. IPFW's Shaun Dryden and Ohio State's Mik Berzins are tied for second with two awards each.
Ebel helped guide the Cardinals to a 3-0 record last week by racking up a team-high 30 digs for a 2.73 digs-per-game average. He also posted a .977 reception percentage, passing 86 of his team-high 88 reception attempts.
In last Tuesday's pivotal five-game league win at Lewis, Ebel paced all players with a match-high 14 digs, while adding a perfect reception percentage, passing all 41 serves coming in his direction.
On Friday, Ebel tied for team-high honors with six digs in the sweep of King College. He also added a .962 (25 for 26) reception percentage in the victory.
Ebel rounded out the week with another match-high 10 digs in Saturday's sweep of Saint Francis, marking the fourth time this season he has logged double-digit digs in a three-game match. He also had a .952 (20 for 21) reception percentage in the match.
In addition to helping guide the Cardinals to a perfect 3-0 record last week, Ebel's defensive play helped limit BSU's opponents to a combined .133 hitting mark, including a -.022 (28-30-92) rate of success for King College.
The Ball State men's volleyball team ends the 2010 regular season this week with a pair of league matches. The Cardinals travel to No. 11 Ohio State for a 7 p.m. first serve Friday, before ending the regular season Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. home match versus No. 13 Loyola. Saturday's contest will also serve as senior day for Ebel, Ethan Pheister (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood H.S.), Eric Schulte (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood H.S.) and Matt Sprague (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette H.S.).
