Bowling Green volleyball (15-8) defeated Miami OH (7-16) 3-1 in four sets on Friday night. The Falcons have won five straight matches and have not lost since Oct. 11.
Here’s how it went down:
Set 1
To start set one, Bowling Green got off to a fast start, jumping to a 5-2 lead after a kill by junior opposite hitter Lauryn Hovey got the Orange and Brown up to a three-point lead.
Things got even better for the Falcons; a service ace via libero Lindsey LaPinta put Bowling Green ahead by double digits, 16-6, against their Mid-American Conference (MAC) competition.
Despite a late rally by the RedHawks, the Falcons took set one 25-15 after a service error by Miami’s Ellie Hanson sealed the set win for Bowling Green.
Set 2 (BG up 1-0)
Unlike the first set, the second set began with both teams neck and neck, tied at 6-6 after a kill by Miami’s Caroline Cermack.
The game would not stay tied for long.
A kill by fifth-year middle blocker Alexis Mettille, a service ace by sophomore setter Amanda Otten and a combined block from both Hovey and Mettille resulted in a 3-0 run and forced a Miami OH timeout.
The Orange and Brown took the momentum and never looked back, scoring three more points after the timeout and later, took the set victory 25-16 over the RedHawks, now up 2-0.
Set 3 (BG up 2-0)
The third set of the night was a highly contested affair, a back-and-forth matchup between the Falcons and the RedHawks.
Both squads found themselves neck and neck, tied 25-25 after a kill by the Falcon’s junior middle blocker, Jessica Andrews, forced extra sets.
Extra sets began with a service error by Hovey, putting the RedHawks up 26-25, but the Falcons tied it up again with a kill by freshman Isabelle Laube.
Despite the fight by the Orange and Brown, Bowling Green lost their first set of the night 29-27.
This marks BGSU’s first game past three sets since Oct. 11 and snapped Bowling Green’s streak of four straight 3-0 victories.
Set 4 (BG up 2-1)
Once again, the night’s final set was an absolute slugfest between both sides.
With both sides tied 23-23 late in the fourth set, it looked like extra sets were inevitable.
After another set of tough volleyball, a kill by Hovey and an attack error by Miami, Bowling Green won the fourth set 25-23 and the game.
Postgame
Bowling Green’s Hovey was the standout player for the Falcons, finishing the night with 18 kills and two service aces, both of which were team highs. Senior outside hitter Mia Tyler was second with 11 kills.
Otten had yet another big night in the assist category with 45.
Bowling Green improves to 15-8 on the season and clinches their fifth straight victory. The Orange and Brown finish the series with Miami on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 4:00 pm.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s Chas McNeil and Andrew Smith will be on the call for the matchup on 88.1 WBGU FM.
