Pride and passion figures to play a key role this weekend when the BGSU volleyball team hosts its first tournament in three years, but Susie Norris begs for perspective as well.
“We’re excited, I mean we’ve been on the road far away the last two weeks and we played well, Norrs said. “So, now we’re more excited to bring it to our home floor so our fans can see us. We’re playing to win all three matches.”
The Falcons confidence has manifested itself in each of the two previous tournaments, where they have left Boise, Idaho and Peoria, Ill. with titles.
However, BG’s high level of play has also produced a humbling because they know West Virginia, Murray State and Iowa State are embracing the opportunity to spoil the homecoming.
“Any team that comes as a visitor, their whole goal is to distribute the flow of the home team,” said Nadia Bedricky, who joined Norris on the all-tournament team last weekend.
“Our team is confident but we know they’re playing to try and win the tournament, just like we are.”
The Falcons open the tournament with West Virginia, a team that is 0-6 against BG.
Head coach Veronica Hammersmith leads the Mountaineers (1-5) into Anderson Arena with her team having lost five consecutive matches, but they are led by the duo of Stephanie Zolna and Alison Zemanski.
The two are averaging 3.78 and 2.75 kills per game, respectively. Hammersmith, who enters her 29th season as coach at WVU, says that the Falcons will be a tough match.
“BG is very well coached and we have played them in the past,” she said. “We know they will be aggressive on offense and tenacious on defense.”
BG will face Murray State (0-3) in their second match on Friday for the first time.
The Racers are coached by 6th-year man David Schwepker and led by one of the top players in the Ohio Valley Conference, Abbi Gui.
The 6-foot-2 Middle Hitter averaged 3.58 kills and a .309 hitting percentage, to go along with 0.92 blocks during last weekend’s Michigan/Pepsi Challenge.
The Falcons wrap-up the tournament on Saturday against Iowa State, which comes off of a four-set lost to Northern Iowa on Tuesday.
Fifth-year head coach Linda Crum and her team hold a 2-1 advantage against BG in the head-to-head series.
The Cyclones are led by Brttany Dalager, Ashlie McKee and Renae Pruess, all of whom average more than 3.30 kills per game.
“All of the mach-ups this weekend will be high level competition,” head coach Denise Van De Walle said. “Of course, for the Falcons, we want as many fans as we possibly can…especially on Saturday when we go head-to-head with Iowa State. Iowa State has a Bowling Green player on it [Lindsey Chapman].”
Following the BGSU Invitational, the Falcons will play back-to back home matches against Oakland and Valparaiso before traveling to take on Ohio State Sept. 20.
Tournament Schedule For BGSU Invitational
Tomorrow
11:00 a.m. BGSU vs. West Virginia
1:30 p.m. Iowa State vs. Murray State
6:00 p.m. BGSU vs Murray State
8:00 p.m. Iowa State vs. West Virginia
Saturday
12:30 p.m. Murray State vs. West Virginia
3:00 p.m. BGSU vs. Iowa State
