Bowling Green volleyball coach Denise Van De Walle is issuing a challenge to the student body and community volleyball fans for the Falcons’ final regular-season matches against Kent State and Ohio at Anderson Arena this weekend.
“I would love for [them] to sit down on the lower section,” she said before yesterday’s practice. “Not on the second floor, but sit down as close to the court as possible. Sit on the north end bleachers … And be as rowdy as possible and follow the visiting teams from side to side.
“That’s what we go up against every time we travel,” she continued. “There is always a student section that heckles and rides the team when we go to another school. We haven’t seen that we have that and I would love to have that this weekend.”
BG, which enters the weekend sitting at 7-7 in the Mid-American Conference and 16-12 overall, face Kent State Friday at 7 p.m. The Falcons’ Saturday night match with No. 20 Ohio is for set for 7 p.m.
Both teams easily handled BG on their respective home courts two weeks ago.
However, Van De Walle said she isn’t over emphasizing the revenge factor.
The 23 year BG coach wants the team to play well, especially coming off a sluggish performance in Tuesday’s win over Oakland.
“It was just an OK match,” she said referring to the victory. “So, this weekend we know we have to play a lot better than we did on Tuesday. I don’t consider it a disappointing win, I just thought we could have played better.”
The Golden Flashes defeated BG in four sets during the first meeting. KSU is entering the match at 4-10 in the MAC and 8-17 overall, but Van De Walle said she isn’t paying much attention to the record.
“They’re a good team,” she said. “I think they’re record is a little bit deceptive of how good they are.”
Having only lost one three sets during the entire MAC season, Van De Walle is well aware of the task her “talented” team faces in trying to upset the Bobcats, who are 14-0 in conference play and 24-2 overall.
The Falcons were taken down in three sets at the Convocation Center in Athens. Although, Van De Walle said isn’t conceding anything before the match is played.
“We don’t want to be swept,” she said. “We haven’t been swept by teams in the East [Division] … So, we want to give it our best effort this last weekend for a lot of reasons.
“Number one, it’s Parent’s Night on Friday. Number two, it’s Senior Day on Saturday and they’re two important matches to end the regular-season.
BG has all but wrapped up the No. 7 seed for the MAC Tournament, assuring them a home match next Tuesday.
Van De Walle said these matches are important for momentum’s sake.
“We know exactly what Kent has and we know exactly what OU has,” she said. “Right now, the team knows they have to come in this last weekend and play hard and we have to play hard on Tuesday (No. 19) to get to the SeaGate Centre.”
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