The Lindenwood men's volleyball team (3-7, 0-3 MIVA) dropped an epic five-set match to #11 Ball State on Saturday night inside Hyland Arena

MATCH OVERVIEW
Lindenwood got out to an early 3-1 lead in the opening set and then the two teams went back and forth until 10-10. From that point, Ball State went on a 6-2 run to gain some separation at 16-12. The Lions rattled off the next four points, capped off by an ace from Clay Wieter to knot things up at 16. Lindenwood was able to gain some separation late in the set, which was finished off by a Wieter kill at 25-22, which gave the home squad a 1-0 lead. Lindenwood hit an outstanding .577 in the opening stanza.

The two teams went back and forth once again in the second set with Ball State leading 10-9. Each squad continued to trade points throughout the frame as it was knotted up at 20 apiece. The set would carry on deadlocked at 24 as extra points would be needed. At 26-26, the Cardinals would win the next two points to even the match at 1-1 heading to the third.

Ball State would get out to an early 8-5 lead in the third and hold a slim advantage throughout. Lindenwood made it interesting near the end of the stanza with a kill from Aidan Curcuru making the score 24-23 in favor of Ball State. The Cardinal would win the next point, however and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Cardinals led 5-3 to begin the fourth set, but a three -consecutive aces from Ian Schuller would flip the momentum in Lindenwood's favor. Now up 8-5, the Lions controlled the set and continued to use the serve to gain separation. Connor Sheehan finished off the set with a pair of aces as Lindenwood took the fourth 25-18, which would send the match to a fifth set.

This time it was Lindenwood who jumped out to a 4-2 lead, but Ball State responded with four of the next five points to take a 6-5 lead. The two teams continued to go back and forth with the Cardinals holding a slim 12-10 lead late in the fifth. Down 13-12, Schuller stepped behind the service line after a timeout and tied things up at 13 apiece. The seesaw battle continued, and extra points would be needed once again. Points were traded by each team until 19-19, but the Cardinals won the next two to win the set, 21-19 and the match 3-2.

GAME LEADERS
Ian Schuller (20 kills, nine digs, five aces)
RaShawn Bonner (10 kills, .500 Hit %, three digs)
Connor Sheehan (63 assists, two digs)

UP NEXT
The Lions will travel to Romeoville, Ill. for a matchup with #14 Lewis on Friday, February 16. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.