It was a long wait between opponents. Bowling Green won their great eight matchups on Monday against DePaul, while Saint Johns did not win until Thursday, giving the Falcons a time advantage over the Red Storm.
Both teams are facing a few firsts, with the Fab Four being the farthest that the Johnnies have ever been in a national postseason tournament. The Falcons are looking to return to the NIVC Championship for the first time since 1992.
The teams are scheduled to face off on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, New York. Falcon Media Sports Network’s Ben Corak will have the call starting at 6:45 p.m. for pregame on Falcon Radio.
Matchup History
2024’s NIVC semi-final will only be the second time that Bowling Green and Saint Johns have played in their history, with the first match swaying in favor of the Red Storm (3-1).
The lone matchup came in 1998 as the Johnnies took down the Falcons in a regular season match in neutral territory.
Scouting Bowling Green
Since losing their semi-final match in the MAC Tournament, Bowling Green has been running rampant on the NIVC, beating Binghampton, Wright State, and DePaul all within four sets.
A key for the Orange and Brown all season has been setting the block, which BG does extremely well, tallying 556 total blocks this season, which is good enough to put them 35 in the nation.
BG VB has managed to find ways to win all season, with their last victory being the 24th victory this year, which is the eighth time in program history and the first for head coach Danijela Tomic.
Scouting St. John’s
Saint Johns is 24-12 on the season, going 10-8 in conference play with the Red Storm qualifying for the Big East Tournament, being swept by DePaul in their first game.
On the season, the Johnnies have made their strong suit kills and assists, as Saint Johns has marked 12.47 assists per set this season along with 13.20 kills per set, both placing them fourth in the Big East.
The biggest weakness for the Red Storm comes from their backcourt, who fall towards the bottom of the Big East in digs, averaging 13.78 per set, which places them eighth among the 12 conference teams.
Despite the average stats, Saint Johns has been anything but lackluster, as they have been on a tear since Nov. 8, going 8-2.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
The offense will be key for the Falcons to get past Saint Johns, and the senior outside hitter has played lights out throughout the NIVC.
In what will be her final playing days as a Falcon, the Louisville, Kentucky native has been unreal, being second on the team with kills in the NIVC (42).
Lauryn Hovey (#14 Bowling Green)
The one-two punch of the Orange and Brown is not complete without the reigning MAC Player of the Year, who is the offensive engine of the team.
Leading the team with 44 kills, the junior opposite also dominates from the service line with 54 aces so far this year, just four behind her career high of 59.
The offense for the Red Storm runs through the junior right side, who functions very similarly to Hovey for Saint Johns, ranking second in the Big East in kills (469).
The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native is also a powerful service weapon for the Johnnies, tallying 53 aces on the season, which puts her tied for first in the conference.
Rashanny Solano Smith (#9 Saint Johns)
Despite the statistical weakness of the Red Strom’s backcourt, Smith will need to step up to help her team outlast the BG attack.
The sophomore libero ranks second in the Big East in digs per set with 4.16, which makes her a centerpiece in surviving the Orange and Brown.
