BG volleyball went 1-1 on the road this weekend with a win against Kent State University and a loss against Ohio University. Their record is now 6-9 overall, and 3-1 in the Mid-American Conference.
Against KSU, the Falcons went four sets, winning the first two in overtime sets, 26-28 in set one and 26-24 in the second.
“We played good enough to win,” said coach Danijela Tomic. “But this was not our best match.”
Tomic said the team was fortunate to win the first two sets and if the team hadn’t won the second set, she is not sure they could have won the match.
Lindsey Butterfield commited two errors en route to her highest attacking percentage of her career and lead her team with 17 kills in the match.
“Lindsey is our most consistent player,” Tomic said. “She plays on a higher level and she is a big reason [why] we won.”
Tomic said Butterfield is the main reason the team is able to win.
“We are fortunate to have her here,” she said. “Lindsey is an emotional leader on the team and she wills the team to play better.”
The team works hard on communicating on the court, Tomic said.
“Lindsey is a very emotional, passionate person and we count on her to play the way she has been,” Tomic said. “Every team needs that type of player.”
The Falcons did not have the same amount of luck against the Bobcats.
Tomic said her team was not used to being out blocked in games. OU out blocked BG 13 to 6. The Bobcats also out aced the Falcons 7 aces to 1.
“Good teams do that,” said Tomic. “Ohio is a top ranked serving team. They don’t really have any weaknesses.”
This was the Falcons’ first MAC loss of the season.
“We have to play our best [to beat teams like Ohio University],” Tomic said. “They played the entire point and we didn’t.”
Paige Penrod was the only Falcon to earn double-digit kills while two starters, Jelena Sunjic and Kaitlyn Skinner, had negative attacking percentages. The team’s attacking percentage was .122.
OU had an attacking percentage of .278.
“When you play a team like Ohio, playing average against this team got our butts kicked,” Tomic said.
The Falcons will continue MAC play when they host the University of Buffalo Bulls (14-3, 2-2 MAC) at the Stroh Center Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.
