After four straight road games, the Falcon volleyball team will be home at the Stroh Center once again Friday night. The Falcons are 15-6 overall and 5-3 in conference competition. On Friday night, the Falcons will take on the 8-14 Ball State Cardinals. The following night will be the Battle of I-75 against the 12-8 Toledo Rockets.
For the Friday matchup against Ball State, the Falcons will be hoping to take advantage of a team on a cold streak; Ball State has lost three of their last four matches and possesses a hitting percentage of .214. They really excel defensively however, boasting an average of 16.16 sigs/set. That is good enough to rank third in the Mid-American Conference.
The team leader, Kate Avila, ranks sixth in the conference in digs/set, with an average of 4.12. Also a huge factor for Ball State, Amber Seaman, always seems to help her fellow teammates rack in the kills, as she is sixth in the conference in assists/set, averaging 9.78.
After last week’s Toledo victory in the Battle of I-75 for football, the volleyball team will be practicing for a tough matchup in another Bowling Green-Toledo rivalry game.
Toledo has one of the toughest defenses in the conference, averaging 2.13 blocks per set, ranking second in the conference and holding their opponents to a hitting percentage of .194, ranking fourth in the conference. The Falcons will also be looking to get revenge for last year’s loss to Toledo. This is an important conference match-up for both Toledo and the Falcons, where a conference championship could be in line for both teams.
Some important players to look out for on the Falcons are Madeline Garda and Jelena Sunjic. The two seniors have displayed great leadership and consistency this season, as the team has been able to rely on the two superstars all season long. Garda, who leads the nation in digs/set with 6.64, has been a defensive cornerstone for the Falcons this season, keeping virtually every play alive for the Falcons. Sunjic has been playing very consistent lately, having over 10 kills in each of the last four games, which were all victories for the Falcons. Her impact is felt across the court, where she averages 4.40 kills/set.
The team will be looking to play hard this weekend and continue their winning streak. Currently third in the MAC Conference East Division standing, the team has a great shot at perhaps competing for a conference championship. With the Battle of I-75 on Saturday, there will likely be a larger crowd than usual, as both teams are talented and looking to gain some momentum going into the final stretches of the season.
