Bowling Green volleyball finished their first taste of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 2025, taking two wins in the Stroh Center in their first home series of the season. BG defeated Ohio in the MAC opener on Friday before a dominating win against Kent State on Saturday, advancing to 2-0 in the conference and 8-6 overall.
“It’s been very few times in the last couple of years that the MAC regular season is more than a game or two behind,” said head coach Alex DelPiombo. “Getting out 2-0 matters because it’s the difference between first and second place.”
The expectations of the weekend were two victories, and BG took them handily, dropping only one set to the now 2-12 Ohio Bobcats. They led both matches in kills, blocks and digs while leading only KSU in aces and assists. BG out-blocked opponents 23-6, also leading in kills 88-70 and digs 105-82.
Senior outside hitter Lauryn Hovey extends her match absence to three, building on the longest stretch in her career. The Falcons have won all four matches this season without Hovey playing a set, granted all against lower-level opponents.
The lack of BG’s best hitter has opened an opportunity for offensive depth, namely Edyta Waclawczyk, who had 21 kills on 38 attempts. She and fellow outside Avery Hobson were the main offense for BG, totaling about half of BG’s kills on Friday and 63% on Saturday.
Maybe the best player of the weekend was Helen Wilford, selected as the MAC Defensive Player of the Week for 15 block contributions on 23 total blocks for Bowling Green. She added 10 kills on 17 attempts and no errors through two matches, now third in blocking in the MAC.
Through two matches in conference play, BG ranks third in points, second in hitting percentage, first in blocks and third in aces. Even more impressive is BG’s court control, allowing the lowest hitting percentage in the MAC, also allowing the fewest assists, kills, blocks and digs.
“It’s kind of a point of pride that we know we can get these balls up, when we are simple, it is easier,” junior setter Amanda Otten said. “Just being us and having the conviction that we can do something like this was just the mentality of it.”
Ohio and Kent State are not necessarily the teams to beat in the conference. BG also has Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan on the road on the third and fourth of October, both teams winless through four combined matches.
There isn’t too much to analyze with DelPiombo’s team through one week of play. They will most likely be the favorite to win every match in the regular season and started it well by handling business against Ohio and Kent State. Starting Oct. 7, BG enters a string of very tough opponents, namely Toledo at home and away, NIU and Ball State at home and Western Michigan on the road. All four teams are 2-0.
The MAC preseason, regular season and tournament favorite plays 0-2 Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, Michigan on Friday, Oct. 3 and 0-2 Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant, Michigan the following day.
