BGSU volleyball (10-7, 5-1) lost a heartbreaker to the Eastern Michigan Eagles (11-9, 5-1) in five sets.
With this loss, the Falcons and Eagles are tied for first place in Mid-American Conference play (MAC). This game is also the only time the two teams will meet in MAC regular season play.
“I‘m proud of our team; this match could have been lost 3-0 or 3-1, but we found a way to get ourselves back into the fifth set.” Head coach Danijela Tomic stated post-game.
Here is how the game went down.
Set 1
The Falcons started the game slow, going down 3-1, but would bounce back with four straight points to take the lead.
With the game tied at 13, and neither team grabbing a commanding lead, senior outside hitter Mia Tyler and junior opposite hitter Lauryn Hovey took the opportunity to extend to 17-13.
Ultimately, the Eagles would not go down as they fought their way back and took the first set 26-24.
Set 2
After a tightly contested first set, the Falcons came out with all pistons firing, taking an early lead of 4-0. This fast start was fueled by a kill from Tyler, a kill from junior middle blocker Jessica Andrews, and two service aces from freshman defensive specialist Sydnie Hernandez.
With the Falcons jumping out to a lead, this was the only set of the night that saw a lead balloon to a whopping nine points and had the largest win of the night as the Falcons won this set 25-17.
Set 3
After a strong second set, the Falcons would look to keep it roaring in the third set. Although neither team would grab any momentum in this set. Both teams would take the lead and then give it right back, with neither team commanding a lead of more than five in this set.
There were a total of 14 ties in this set alone, as the Falcons would drop set three with a score of 30-28.
Set 4
After the slugfest that both teams had just gone through, the Eagles came out swinging with two quick points off self-inflicted mistakes by the Falcons. Eastern Michigan would gift the Orange and Brown a point in the form of a service error.
Fifth-year middle blocker Alexis Mettille would get the Falcon’s first points of this match to make the score 4-2 in favor of the Eagles.
It would be fifth-year outside hitter Jordan Newblatt though who would score the 25th point of the set to tie the match up at two apiece and send this game into the fifth and final set.
Set 5
Just like the rest of the match, neither team could truly take control. After Eastern Michigan jumped out to an early lead, Tyler and Mettille both came back with kills of their own to tie the setup.
As each team dug deep for each point, the Falcons would reach the eight-point mark first and would swap sides of the court with the lead.
That lead, however, was not to be held for long, as with some mistakes on both sides, it would be the Eagles who would right the ship first and win the final set 16-14.
Despite the loss, Tyler set a new career high in kills for a single game with 21, breaking her previous record of 19. This career high is also Tyler’s sixth straight game landing ten or more kills.
Sophomore setter Amanda Otten set a career-high in assists during this game with 63.
Hovey and Mettille both contributed 16 kills apiece in this five-set match.
The Falcons look to bounce back tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. as the Central Michigan Chippewas come to town.
