BGSU volleyball (13-11, 7-5) faced off against the Toledo Rockets (17-7, 8-4) in their ‘Battle of I-75’ rematch at the Stroh Center, with the Falcons taking a dominating sweep, 3-0.

The matchup not only saw a competitive battle between the Mid-American Conference (MAC) rivals, but the return of junior setter Amanda Otten after suffering a lower left-leg injury back on Oct. 7, coincidentally against the Rockets.

In her first match back, Otten had 18 assists with 11 digs with a .346 hitting percentage on the night. A night that she had been looking forward to since going down.

“Ever since I got hurt, every week I was like, ‘Can I play this weekend?’ ‘So can I play this weekend?’” Otten said, postgame. “I really wanted to be out there for my team, and it’s more of a mental thing than physical.” 

Head coach for the Orange and Brown, Alex DelPiombo, was also pleased by the showcase Otten was able to put up. Not only acknowledging how talented a player she can be, as she currently sits fifth in the conference in assists, but also how her having a ‘Warrior Spirit’ goes a long way for everyone out on the floor.

“Amanda is, without question, a difference maker on our team,” DelPiombo said. “The warrior spirit she went through, the pain that she’s in, in her to say ‘You know what? I’m gonna be there for my team and push through,’ that’s more than anything.” 

Otten also noted that the spirit not only lives through herself, but also for the rest of the talented Falcons squad.

“I think that a lot of things have led to the pathway for us to be able to do that,” Otten said. “I do think tonight we just had a different mindset, we wanted to win; we still went out and played the best we possibly could.”

Otten and the Falcons will look to continue the same warrior spirit this week as Bowling Green will travel south to Oxford, Ohio, to face the Miami RedHawks on Friday, Oct. 31, at 6:30 p.m.

Falcon Media Sports Network’s Andrew Smith will have live coverage of the call on Falcon Radio.