BGSU volleyball takes on its university rival, the Toledo Rockets, in a Tuesday rivalry match in Toledo’s Savage Arena.
Bowling Green took both rivalry matches over Toledo in 2024, each team now sporting a new head coach in 2025.
Falcon head coach Alex DelPiombo and Toledo head coach Brian Wright have each led their teams to double-digit win seasons already in 2025, and both have a 4-0 record in conference play against Ohio, Kent State, Eastern Michigan, and Central Michigan.
While BG has stayed at the top of the conference, Toledo is having a sizeable turnaround in the first season of Wright’s tenure, especially with key departures.
The 2024 Rockets went 10-8 in conference play under the high-flying upperclassmen Taylor Alt and Izzy Granger. The fifth year and junior outside hitters combined for about half of Toledo’s overall offense, as well as 65 aces, 465 digs and 89 total blocks.
Included in their departure is sophomore setter Macy Hatkevich, who had almost 1000 assists with the second most aces and digs.
The biggest addition for Wright is freshman outside hitter Jessica Costlow, who is leading the team in attacks and kills. She joins returning hitter Olivia Heitkamp and middle blocker Sierra Pertzborn as the best offensive players on a team yet to have a 200-point scorer this season (BG has two).
Even with turnover in key positions, Toledo is in the top four in the MAC in points, hitting percentage, kills, blocks, aces and digs. Their court control has been unbelievable through 16 matches this season, leading the MAC in opponent hitting percentage, kills, assists and blocks.
Toledo has an impressive resume; however, the only concern is a lack of difficult opponents this season. Their premier losses are 13-2 Colorado in three sets and 5-10 Arkansas in five sets.
Bowling Green is coming off a strong weekend, beating very talented Eastern and Central Michigan teams on the road, still rolling a 6-0 record without star player and defending MAC Player of the Year, Lauryn Hovey.
The offense, which scored two fewer than a season high 65 kills against EMU, was rewarded with a Jessica Andrews Offensive Player of the Week award from the MAC. She recorded 24 kills with only four errors on 42 attacks, hitting .476 on the weekend. Andrews added six total blocks and two digs, all amidst playing the right side for Hovey instead of her normal middle blocker spot.
The Falcons and Rockets head into the match undefeated in MAC play; only one team will stay atop the MAC after the match concludes. BG completed a reverse sweep over Toledo in Savage Arena last season. BG and UT square off in Savage Arena once more today at 6 p.m. Join Falcon Media Sports Network’s Ben Corak and Andrew Smith as they talk you through the action on WBGU 88.1 FM, streaming on bgfalconmedia.com.
