BGSU women’s volleyball (12-8, 6-2) fell to the Ball State Cardinals (12-8, 8-0) at the Stroh Center for the first time this season Thursday night in a battle of the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in five hard-fought sets, 3-2.
The game also marked the return of Bowling Green senior opposite Lauryn Hovey, the reigning MAC Player of the Year, after missing the last eight games due to an undisclosed injury.
“Lauryn’s a massive piece of our program. She’s been a massive piece of our success these past couple of years,” said head coach Alex DelPiombo after the game.
The Falcons finished the game with 69 total kills, 12 service errors and five aces in their first five-set contest since Sept. 5. Sophomore defensive specialist Sydnie Hernandez had a career-high 26 digs and sophomore outside hitter Edyta Waclawczyk had 20 kills, another career high.
“I owe everything to my coaching staff and my teammates. We’re really working hard in practice and position training,” said Hernandez.
Both teams came out swinging early, with the score remaining within a point. Two straight blocks by Ball State put them up by two. However, two kills by junior outside hitter Avery Hobson and two Cardinal attack errors put the Falcons back in front 11-9.
Despite that, Ball State continued to rally, tying the game up and attempting to prevent BGSU from gaining momentum.
The Cardinals scored and pushed themselves out in front of the Falcons, 21-17. Ball State was playing very consistently, limiting mistakes and capitalizing on the momentum, as they wound up winning the first set 25-21.
Ball State was able to find holes in BG’s defense early in the second set as they pushed ahead to a 10-6 lead. The Orange and Brown were unfazed, however, going on a 10-3 run to catapult themselves into the lead.
This run was highlighted with multiple kills by Hobson, Waclawczyk and Hovey. At this point in the match, they had seven, nine and three kills, respectively. The run had made the score 16-14 in the Falcons’ favor.
Action continued throughout the second set, with the Falcons coming out on top, 25-21. They were just one step ahead of the Cardinals as the set came to a close and were able to win their first set of the match.
The third set of action was much like the first two. Both teams were playing very well, but Ball State found themselves with the lead 18-14.
Bowling Green was pushing back against that score, however. Some very crucial defensive plays by Hovey and senior middle blocker Jessica Andrews kept the Orange and Brown in the set, with the score of 24-23.
Another Hobson kill tied the set at 24 apiece. Despite this, a BGSU service error put them behind by one, but Andrews had another kill to tie the game.
BGSU had another attack error against them, and Ball State’s junior setter Lindsey Green scored a service ace to win the third set.
The fourth set at the Stroh Center played out like the sets before it. The game was played very close, remaining tied for most of the set. Many of Bowling Green’s points came from Ball State errors.
The Orange and Brown were forced to call a timeout after a kill by Ball State put the Cardinals up 23-22.
Coming out of the timeout, a Ball State service error and a Hovey kill put BG in front 24-23. Hovey and Andrews had two more kills, allowing BGSU to win the fourth set, evening out the match and forcing a fifth set.
The fifth set opened similarly to the others, with it being extremely tight. A really long volley went back and forth many times before ending in an attack error against BG, putting Ball State ahead 7-6.
Ball State went on a 7-2 run to win the game in the fifth set, handing Bowling Green their first loss at home of the season. They hadn’t played a game that went to five sets since September 5th.
“I’ve always thought [resilience] about our team. We’re really adaptable at heart,” said DelPiombo during the press conference.
The Falcons now turn their attention to their next game, in which they will host the Cardinals again on Friday. The contest will start at 6 p.m. at the Stroh Center.
