Joel Walton Quotations

Lewis was a team effort. It takes everybody doing their part on defense. You've got to make pretty good defensive plays and it allows us to go in and control play from start to finish.

I was pleased with the job we did in game two. I felt like we really found our rhythm, and the guys were playing well. It was defense transitioning into a really great offense.

He's a big boy. I've never even stood beside someone that big.

I think when you look at what we want to be accomplishing, we want to be building momentum heading into the tournament. It doesn't matter who we play. Looking at the Lewis match, we want to come out with a game plan and execute that game plan, and if we do that, we build confidence in our players and in their teammates.

I thought we played a good match. I don't think we played at our best. Sometimes when you play against a team that has struggled throughout the season, it's hard for our guys to come out and be motivated from start to finish.

I was going crazy (when Mullens fouled out). I've never heard Chris Beals yell so loud. In the fourth quarter, the memories of the past two district finals did kind of creep up. But those fears were kind of squelched because I trust my brothers. I looked around and I said these are my best friends. These are guys I have been playing with my entire life.

I think our team is capable of playing with anyone in the country, but yet we have to go show that this weekend.

You have to serve in time and time again. What we want out of our guys is the first ball they serve to be the same as the last ball they serve. It helps with rhythm and builds consistency.

The thing that had us optimistic is that we returned so many starters from last year. We had a team that played well within the conference but had various injuries throughout the season that kept us from reaching our potential.

Practice Wednesday was pretty good. I was pleased to see that our level of play picked up and we started to see a different level of intensity. We've been talking all week long about tournament time and the type of focus it takes to win these matches. You've got to be able to find your rhythm and get out and still execute at a high level.

This is a really critical match. Our focus this week will be square on Loyola. We have to beat them at home.

This is a chance for people to be exposed to Ball State volleyball and for us to expand the interest in the sport. We're giving Central State a chance to play a high-caliber team.

They are a very good team. Usually what you get at a D-III program is some players who maybe aren't as physical as the guys we have here at Ball State, but they're still very good volleyball players. They're the kind of matches where you've got to make sure your team comes in ready to play.

It's a very experienced team. Yet the advantage we have is that we know what their offensive system is that and how they attack the ball.

St. Francis is a good team. They are a team that could begin to vie for East Coast championships. They are a team that can compete with us.

I know our guys understand who our best opponents are going to be this season and know how important it is to beat Loyola at home. The goal we've set this season is to win the regular-season championship. Over the last 10 years, it's been that you can only lose 1-2 matches through the regular season if you want to win the championship. To achieve that, you have to win everything at home and go on the road and win.

Hopefully we're going to be able to give them a punch in the mouth right away. And take some of the wind out of their sails, jump on top of them and keep stomping on them and never let them up. That's the kind of performance I hope to see.

Heart breaking, absolutely heartbreaking, to lead in every statistical category and lose is mind-boggling. We had good effort from everybody. It wasn't the prettiest match. It was one point here, one point there.