BGSU volleyball (3-4) made their way over to Chicago, Illinois for the DePaul/University of Illinois Chicago invite, facing UIC (6-1) for their first match on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Each of the three sets was close in score, proving to be a steady back-and-forth action between the Falcons and the Flames.
In set 1, both teams kept on the other’s ankles, tying scores up to a 17-16 lead, where the Falcons called a time-out.
After time-out, the Falcons brought their game to tie up with the Flames again at 22-22.
UIC then rallied for the two set-winning points, completing set 1 at 25-23.
The Flames hit the ground running in set 2, getting a stretched lead at 8-2.
BG called timeouts to discuss a game plan, and played out the rest of the set, ending at 25-20, after the UIC ran a 3-0 to get their 22-28 lead.
In set 3, three was the lucky number. It began with UIC running 5-0, and the Falcons followed closely after with a 3-0, 5-3, interrupted by yet another 3-0 run from UIC (9-4).
The teams tied up later in the set before UIC’s back-to-back points for a score of 20-18.
A 25-21 set score named the Flames as the match winners.
Despite the loss for the Falcons, players brought their all.
Sophomore setter Amanda Otten got the most assists (20) and digs (11) for the team, and junior opposite hitter Lauryn Hovey had 10 kills for the match. Otten achieved her first double-double of the season, the third double-double of her career.
The Falcons will continue their invitational, challenging Brown today at 1 p.m., at a neutral site match. The wrap-up match on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. will be the Falcon’s last invitational match, facing DePaul.
