Here’s the breakdown of how it happened.  

Set 1: 23-25 

The first set began with both teams trading off points until reaching a 4-3 threshold. Strong Falcon offense would widen the gap with a 3-0 run; leading to a 9-4 score. With a 10-4 score, the Huskies were forced into their first timeout of the match. Following the break, the Huskies responded with a 3-0 run to begin closing the gap. With a 10-7 score, the Falcons and Huskies remained within three points of each other until both were tied with 15 points apiece. Northern Illinois logged two more kills, forcing Bowling Green into a timeout with a close 16-17 score. After their timeout, the Falcons jumped into a quick 4-0 run to earn the lead (20-18) and send the Huskies into their second timeout. The Huskies followed with a 4-1 run, pushing the Orange and Brown into another timeout. Closing in on the end of the first set, both teams became tied at 23 points each. The Huskies, ending the set, would take another two-point run to finish with a 23-25 score. Freshman Lauryn Hovey would lead the set with seven Falcon assists and Senior Petra Indrova would lead in kills with 4.  

Set 2: 25-23 

Set two, beginning similarly to the first, had both teams trading points until the score was 3-5 with a two-point Husky lead. Both teams would continue this trend until each had 11 points apiece. The Huskies began to widen the gap with a two-point run (11-13). Following a media timeout, with a 12-15 score, the Falcons would take advantage of a 3-0 run to tie up the set. Bowling Green and Northern Illinois would continue to trade points, with no signs of letting up. This pattern would go on until the Falcons and Huskies each had 21 points. With a 21-21 score, the Falcons would gain the advantage with a 2-0 run, pushing the Huskies to another timeout. With a 24-22 score, Indrova would deliver the payoff kill, giving the Falcons the second set. With a final score of 25-23, Katelyn Meyer and Indrova would lead in kills (five each) and Julia Walz and Yelianiz Torres would have two aces each.  

Set 3: 22-25 

The Falcons kicked off the third set with a 3-0 run, which would be later matched and topped by the Huskies with a 4-0 run (3-4). After the score was tied up 4-4, both teams spent a great amount of time scoring points back and forth. Once the score was tied up with 10 points each, the Huskies took action with a 4-0 run resulting in a 10-14 score and a Bowling Green timeout. Bowling Green and Northern Illinois would stay within two points of each other until the score was once again tied up, this time being 19-19. Northern Illinois would then widen their gap with a 3-0 run leading to a 19-22 score and forcing the second Falcon timeout of the set. With both teams refusing to back down, the score reached 22-24 before NIU would take a timeout. Soon after the timeout, Charli Atiemo (NIU) would deliver a kill to secure the set for the Huskies. Hovey would leave the set with five kills and Torres would book another ace before the fourth set.  

Set 4: 23-25 

Going into set four, points were once again traded back and forth until the score was tied up 6-6. Staying within a two-point margin, the Falcons would compete with the Huskies for the close lead until taking charge 12-10. Maintaining their lead, the Falcons would continue to have two point leverage on the Huskies (15-13). Following a 4-2 run, the Falcons would increase their lead over NIU to a 19-15 score. Later, a three-point run by Northern Illinois would begin to close the gap (19-18). Responding with a swift two-point run, the Falcons extended their lead to a 21-18 score. Following another Husky timeout, Northern Illinois would execute a 3-0 run to tie the set 22-22, forcing a Falcon timeout. With an eventual 22-24 score, another kill by Atiemo would seal the fate of the match. Resulting in a final score of 23-25. Indrova and Hovey would lead the Falcons for kills, seven and six respectively.  

Overall leaders for Friday’s match would be Indrova with 19 kills, Jaden Walz with 28 assists, and Torres with 3 aces for the evening.

SATURDAY:

Following the Friday loss, Falcon Volleyball would travel to Kalamazoo to take on the Western Michigan Broncos. The Falcons and Broncos are two of the top teams in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

The Broncos dominated the first set on their home floor, leading by five at the first timeout and never looking back in set number one, winning 25-19. In the second set, it was a back and forth battle all the way until the Falcons managed to pull ahead late to win the set by four points, 25-21.

In the third set, it was more of the same from the Orange and Brown, using the momentum they had gained from winning the second set. The Falcons earned another set victory by a slightly narrower margin of 25-22.

Set four was a must win for the Broncos in order to keep the match alive and it would largely resemble their performance from the first set of the day. Western Michigan would pull away by as many as eight points before winning the set 25-18.

The fifth set would find Saturday afternoon’s winner. Western Michigan would snag the first lead of the set but the Falcons would quickly go ahead at a 3-2 score. From there, Bowling Green would hold the lead for the duration taking the set 15-12, and the match.

Hovey would once again be the star for Bowling Green, logging 22 assists, 13 kills, and 11 digs. This is the first triple-double recorded by a Falcon since 2019 and the 26th triple-double across NCAA Volleyball this season.

Next up for the Falcons is a return to the Stroh Center on Friday and Saturday, October 14th and 15th, to take on the Central Michigan Chippewas. Friday’s match will start at 6:00 p.m., with Saturday’s match beginning at 4:00 p.m. In addition to the ESPN+ broadcast, you can listen to the matches on 88.1 WBGU locally or on bgfalconmedia.com via the WBGU listen now link.

For more information about the team, visit bgsufalcons.com.