BGSU Volleyball (21-9) is set to take on the Binghamton Bearcats (19-10) in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) Wednesday night, 7 p.m. at the Stroh Center.
After falling short to Western Michigan 2-3 in the MAC tournament, Bowling Green now has their sights set on the tournament.
This will be Bowling Green’s sixth overall appearance in the NIVC tournament and is their first appearance since 2019.
The Falcons have only faced off against the Bearcats one time in program history. That matchup was back in 2008 when BG defeated Binghamton in a 3-0 sweep.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s Ben Corak and Chas McNeil will have the call on WBGU 88.1 FM starting at 6:45 p.m. for pregame.
Bowling Green:
Bowling Green is fresh off of a defeat against Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference first round. A disappointing end to their season, especially after having a 16-2 record in conference play.
The Falcons were one of the best teams in the MAC this season, and after a disappointing loss in the first round, they are looking to bounce back in tournament play quickly.
Binghamton:
The Bearcats finished the regular season with a 19-10 record, which led them to be the America East Conference regular season champions.
The Bearcats are in a similar situation as the Falcons. Led their conference in the regular season, then got bounced off their tournament. It will be interesting to see the strategy of the Bearcats in the matchup against Bowling Green.
Key Players:
Middle Blocker: Alexis Mettille #16
Metille is having one of the most efficient seasons for the Falcons this year. She is fifth in the nation in hitting percentage this season at .444%. Metille will be a key factor if the Falcons.
Opposite Hitter: Lauryn Hovey #14
Hovey has been the Falcon’s most reliable weapon on offense this season. It is rare to see her have a bad game. Hovey was given the 2024 MAC player of the year. Getting the duo of Hovey and Metille going offensively will be a major factor for the Falcons to get a win.
Outside Hitter: Tsvetelina Ilieva #11
Ilieva was named the AEC player of the year for the Bearcats. She will be the main player to watch for Binghamton. She is coming off of a 20-kill game, so her offense is something to keep an eye on.
Outside Hitter: Ella Schabort #12
Schabort is second on the Bearcats in both kills and total attacks; she is just behind Ilieva in both categories. She is the second most reliable option on this Bearcat team. If the offense of both her and Ilieva can get going, then the Bearcats will have a real opportunity to get a win against Bowling Green.
