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Bowling Green State University
MIAMI (OH)
Falcons Win At Miami, 3-1
October 19, 2002 | Volleyball
Oct. 19, 2002
OXFORD, Ohio - In a match that featured 40 ties and 26 lead changes, the Bowling Green State University volleyball team posted a four-game victory at Miami University. With the win (32-30, 26-30, 30-28, 31-29), the Falcons earned their first Mid-American Conference victory of the season.
Bridget Protas had a match-high 19 kills and hit .343 to lead the BGSU effort. The Falcons are now 6-15 overall and 1-8 in MAC action, while Miami falls to 7-13 and 2-6, respectively.
In the first game, the Falcons rallied from deficits of 27-23 and 29-26. Three BGSU kills and a block and a service ace by Samantha Rennau thwarted Miami's efforts as the Falcons took the first game by a 32-30.
Miami rallied from a 13-10 game-two deficit to score seven consecutive points. The Falcons put together a rally of their own to tie the game at 21-21, but the RedHawks would go on to the win.
The Falcons led game three by a 24-16 count, but Miami battled back to knot the game, 26-26. The two teams traded points until BGSU blocked a RedHawk attack and benefited from a Miami attack error to take the game, 30-28.
The fourth game was tight, with no team owning more than a three-point lead. That fourth contest featured no fewer than 18 ties and 10 lead changes. The RedHawks were at game point, 29-28, after a kill by Tara Buroker. But a kill by Laura Twyman, a Miami attack error and a service ace by Melissa Mohr ended the match on a winning note for the Brown and Orange.
Protas, in addition to her offensive performance, led all players with six blocks, including three solo rejections. She set career highs for kills and solo blocks, and nearly set a career best in hitting percentage (career high is .348, set vs. UIC on Sept. 21, 2002).
Junior Susie Norris had a double-double, as did senior Kristin Gamby. Norris had 12 kills and 15 digs, while Gamby had 10 kills and a team-high 17 digs.
Freshman Emily Manser had 12 digs and three service aces on the night. Gamby, Mohr and Protas all had three aces as well, as the Falcons shattered their season best in that department, with 14 on the night. BGSU was just one ace away from the school record for a four-game match (15 vs. Dayton, Oct. 4, 1989).
Gamby and Taylor Twite each had four total blocks for the Brown and Orange.
For Miami, Buroker posted 18 kills, 17 digs and three blocks, while Susan Poll hit .370 with 14 kills and eight blocks. Jennifer Eaton and Erika Eagan added 14 and 11 digs, respectively.
The Falcons will play just one match next weekend, as BGSU continues a four-match road swing with a Friday (Oct. 25) contest against Central Michigan.
