One handles the volleyball like an artist’s brush, painting the court with some scintillating sets and a masterful array of tip kills, and the other pummels the volleyball over the net with power and precision.
Seniors Amber Mareski and Taylor Twite have each used their areas of strength to help restore the “winning tradition” back in the Bowling Green State volleyball program this year while expemplifying the type of on-the-floor chemistry that would even make Albert Einstein envious.
“We’ve played together for so long … So that’s a huge advantage we have over other people that have come into this program,” Mareski said.
“When Amber’s setting I just know what to expect from her, because I’ve played with her for so long.”
Mareski and Twite played club volleyball together in high school before arriving at St. Clair County Community College in 2001.
In one season, the duo led the Skippers to a 64-7 record and a third-place finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Championship.
Head coach Denise Van De Walle said it was a great night when she went up to Michigan and saw Mareski and Twite play in a live match for the first time.
“I liked both of them right away,” she said. “I liked Amber’s size, how well and how affective she was at attacking the second ball. I liked Taylor’s size, how hard she hit the ball and how affective she was at running behind the setter.
“I worked pretty hard at getting them to look at Bowling Green, because they were unfamiliar with us at the time,” she added. “I went after both of them and they both liked the school itself, they got along great with myself and the team and it just seemed like a great fit.”
During their first sseason with the Falcons, Mareski and Twite produced 872 asists in 27 matches and 128 kills, respectively, but BGSU suffered throuh a 9-21 campaign.
Mareski said it was tough losing after the team came off of an East Division Championship in 2001.
“We had a lot of new people come in,” she said. “So it was like two teams … two groups colliding and the people that were already here were kind of pitted against the people coming in, because there were so many of us.
“We just didn’t mesh well,” she added. “It took a while for us to finally get accustomed and friendly with one another, but it didn’t really happen for a long time. So it was tough.”
Last season the Falcons struggled to a disappointing 12-21 overall record and a 4-12 conference mark, but Mreski established a team-high 1,061 assists and Tite pounded down 460 kills, which was the most by any junior in the team’s history.
With five new additions and the return of a solid supporting cast, Mareski and Twite said they have the success BGSU exxperienced this season.
The Falcons finished the regular season 17-13 and 8-8 in the MAC.
Mareski was averaging 12.23 assists per game and hitting .264 with 100 kills before breaking her ankle in a match against Buffalo on Nov. 13
Van De Walle said she would take Mareski’s broken ankle so she could finish out her career.
“Once she got down here and started to feel comfortable with the way we did things, she got better and better every day,” she said. “The sad thing to me about Amber is that she got hurt when we really did think she was starting to peak in her ssenior year.”
Twite hasn’t been forced to carry the load due to added depth, but she still leads the team with 3.69 kills to go along with a .296 hitting percentage and 95 total blocks at the net.
Van De Walle said she doesn’t believe anyone has seen Twite at her best.
“Taylor has made her presence at the net offensively and I was just thrilled todeath when she made honorable mention All-MAC {last year}, considering we had a losin season,” she said. “The sad part is that her knees, she’d be hitting over .300 every night and blocking over a ball a game.”
Both Mareski and Twite agree that it has been quite a trip at BGSU.
“We had our up moments and our down moments,” Twite said. “This has been, by far, the best year. The last few years we couldn’t wait for the season to be over and this season it’s like you don’t want it to end.”
And the magical run will continue after last night’s 3-1 victory over Akron.
