Bowling Green volleyball coach Denise Van De Walle decided to let her team linger in the past one last time before yesterday’s practice.
“We did some really good things against Ball State and I want to let them see [the video tape],” Van De Walle said. “And of course, we want to celebrate that victory a little more. It was a sweet one.”
But when the Falcons head into tonight’s Mid-American Conference home opener against Miami at 7 p.m., Van De Walle is hoping the past serves as motivation.
The Redhawks defeated BGSU in a five-set match during last year’s only meeting. Both teams have a 7-6 overall record, but the Falcons sit a game atop Miami (0-2) in the east division at 1-1.
Van De Walle, who said she has only gotten to see tape of Miami in the last year, expects tonight’s match to take on a reoccurring theme.
“We know that almost every time we play Miami it’s a hard-fought match,” she said. “So we expect to play a very good team that is always competitive [with] very good defense. But what we have to do is take care of business on our side of the net.
“We have talked about how we lost that match down there in five and that’s the one I didn’t get to see,” she continued. “It’s a big match. I expect it to be very competitive and hard-fought.”
The Redhawks, coming off a 3-0 sweep to Toledo Saturday night, are led by Carli Reihman and Emily Schroeder, who each average over three kills per game.
Van De Walle doesn’t believe she will have to work hard to get the team motivated. She said the Falcons will be able to play with the same intensity they displayed in snapping a 24-match losing streak to Ball State.
“We know we need to play,” she said. “We’re not a team right now that can just go out on the floor and take opponents lightly. We have to be in every play of every point.
“We just want to make sure that we concentrate on all the things that we did well against Ball State,” she added. “When we step out on the floor against Miami, we want to compete.”
The BGSU fans will make a big difference in how the team plays, according to Van De Walle.
“The players love playing in front of a big crowd and so far for our home matches, we’ve had very good attendance, loud fans and it does affect momentum,” she said. “When you see your home crowd standing on their feet, kicking the bleachers, whistling, clapping – it gets the adrenaline going. So we want as many people [as possible] … to come out and see the team.”
