For the second matchup in the Rocky Mountain state, BGSU Volleyball made history by facing Pacific for the first time ever. Bowling Green forced five sets with the Tigers, eventually falling short in the final set.
However, freshman Amanda Otten came out blazing, impressively logging her second career triple-double (25 assists, 11 kills, 10 digs), in two consecutive matches.
Here’s how it all happened.
Set 1: 25-16 (BGSU)
Pacific logged the first point of the match with a kill by Alexa Edwards. The Falcons quickly responded with a 3-0 run, putting Bowling Green in an early lead. BGSU continued to hold the lead for a majority of the set, logging two more 3-0 runs.
When the score reached 11-5, Pacific called for a timeout. Not losing steam, the Falcons continued to hold the lead, prompting another timeout for the Tigers. Once the Falcons held a 20-14 lead,
Bowling Green put together yet another 3-0 run, pushing them even closer to the end of the set. The Falcons held Pacific off long enough to secure the first set 25-16.
Set 2: 25-19 (Pacific)
Even though BGSU scored the first point of the second set, the game had temporarily turned toward the Tigers. Grabbing an early lead with an explosive 5-0 run, Pacific was able to keep the Falcons at arm’s length.
Once Pacific held a 7-3 lead over the Falcons, BGSU called for a timeout to regroup. Coming out of the timeout, the Tigers strung together a 4-0 run, further extending their lead (13-5).
The Falcons soon logged a quick four points, closing in on the lead with a 13-9 score. BGSU put together one last 3-0 run, made possible by back-to-back aces by Hannah Best. Ultimately, the Falcons were unable to close the gap.
As Pacific pushed forward, the Tigers were able to take the set with a sizeable 25-19 lead.
Set 3: 25-20 (Pacific)
Starting the third set, Pacific and Bowling Green took turns scoring. As the set began to heat up, the Tigers put together a 5-1 stretch, giving Pacific a 7-5 lead. Pacific soon extended their lead with a 3-0 run, the score now 10-7.
Bowling Green came close to closing the gap, the score reaching 11-9, Pacific still in the lead. In response, the Tigers widened the gap to 15-10. Refusing to slow down, Pacific scored another four-straight points, the score reaching 19-12.
As a last rally, the Falcons logged a 5-0 stretch, with BGSU only two points behind Pacific (20-18). Nearing the end, the Tigers were able to hold onto their lead with quick two-point bursts.
Eventually, Pacific took the third set and now led the match 2-1.
Set 4: 29-27 (BGSU)
The fourth set started with some back-and-forth scoring until Pacific logged a 4-0 run to establish the lead.
Playing catch-up, the Falcons put together a 3-0 run, eventually leaving the score tied up at six points each. The trend of tying every other point continued well into halfway through the set.
With the score tied up at 13, Pacific went for the lead, logging a 5-0 run. Finding themselves down by three points, Bowling Green called for a timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, BGSU logged two quick points, temporarily closing the gap. Soon after, a 3-0 run by the Falcons tied the match up at 18 points each.
In response, the Tigers put together a 3-0 run of their own, now holding a 21-19 lead. The Falcons were able to power through and quickly tie up the match at 21 points apiece.
Nearing the end of this decisive set, BGSU and Pacific brought back the trend of tying every other point. Soaring past the typical 25-point cutoff, the score reached 27-27 before the Falcons logged two points in a row to secure the set at 29-27.
With the match tied up 2-2, Bowling Green had officially forced a fifth set.
Set 5:
The deciding set started with a first point by Pacific but was quickly shot down by a 3-0 run for the Falcons. Holding on, the Tigers tied it up 3-3 after a few quick points.
With Bowling Green in the lead 5-4, the Falcons logged a 3-0 run, extending the match to an 8-4 score. From here, Pacific put together a 7-0 stretch, interrupted by a BGSU timeout.
With Pacific on top 11-9, the Tigers put the nail in the coffin with a 4-1 stretch to take the fifth set.
Lauryn Hovey led the Falcons with 15 kills and Otten was the night’s leader in assists (25), which is also Otten’s career high.
Hovey, Best, and Alex Laboy each logged two aces. Laboy, last week’s MAC East Defensive Player of the Week, led the orange and brown in digs (18), while Hovey and Alexis Mettille were the leaders in blocks with four each.
With this, the Falcons move to a 4-4 overall record on the season. Bowling Green closes out the series with a match versus #14 Baylor starting at 1 p.m. EST.
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