Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcon Volleyball Weekly Release
November 04, 2002 | Volleyball
Nov. 4, 2002
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
THIS WEEK
After playing three matches in four days, the Falcon volleyball squad (3-10 MAC; 8-17 overall) will have somewhat of a restful week as they have only one league match on the schedule. BG will face off against divisional rival Ball State on Friday, November 8, at 6:00 p.m. in Anderson Arena. This will be the second meeting of the two squads this season. Ball State won the first contest on October 18, in Muncie, Indiana in three games, 30-18, 30-28, 30-19. Bowling Green was led by junior Susie Norris who tabbed eight kills on 24 attempts for a .250 hitting average. Freshman Emily Manser followed closely with seven kills and nine digs.
Currently, Ball State is led by freshman Sarah Obras. Obras is averaging 3.97 kills-per-game, a mark good enough for second in the league. Sophomore setter Stacie Baldwin ranks as one of the MAC's leaders in assists as she is averaging 10.35 dishes-per-game.
Ball State leads the all-time series 31-10-1.
LAST WEEK
The Falcons went 1-2 last week, with a win over Toledo on Wednesday, October 30, and two losses over the weekend to Eastern Michigan (Nov. 1) and Kent (Nov. 2).
The Falcons dropped the Rockets in three games, 30-26, 30-27, 30-27, to win their third straight Mid-American Conference match of the season. With that loss, UT continued its downward spiral to a losing streak of nine matches. The Rockets' last win came in BG's own Anderson Arena on October 2.
For the Falcons, three players hit in double digits. Norris and redshirt sophomore Bridget Protas each put away 10 kills while senior Kristin Gamby slammed down 12 of her own. Even more impressive were the hitting efficiencies for two of those players. Protas had 22 attempts and recorded a .409 and Gamby tallied 26 attempts for a .385.
Along with a tight offense, BG also cleaned up defensively posting nine blocks to Toledo's five. Redshirt junior Laura Twyman led both squads with eight block assists and Protas followed closely with seven blocks assists of her own. This is the ninth time this season that Protas has recorded five or more blocks in a single match.
On Friday, November 1, Eastern Michigan came to Anderson Arena and the Falcons hoped for a fourth consecutive league win. EMU had other plans. After winning game one, 30-25, the Falcons dropped games two and three, 29-31, 29-31. Game four could have gone either way, but a controversial call by an official allowed EMU to take the lead and eventually win the set, 39-37. The match is currently under protest.
Despite the loss, BG had many positives on their side. Several individuals earned career or season-high statistics during the match. Take junior Norris, who scored her 13th double-double of the season with 15 kills and 23 digs. This total in the digs column brings her to 328 for the season and only 31 digs away from tying for 10th in history for digs in a season (359). Norris tallied the school's best mark in digs in a season during her freshman campaign with 462.
Another bright spot was Protas who has been quite active at the net over the past few matches. Protas notched 11 kills and five blocks for the Falcons and also tallied her first double-double of her career by adding 16 digs.
Manser also had a big night defensively as she scooped up 24 digs to lead the squad and earn a career-high mark in that category. Also posting big numbers in the backcourt was Bedricky who recorded 21 digs to tie a career and season-high mark. The Rochester Hills, Michigan, native has recorded more than 20 digs three separate times this season. Leading the Falcon offense was veteran Gamby who posted 16 kills. The lone senior also sent back four blocks, one being a solo.
Finally, BG travelled to Kent on Saturday, November 2. What came of that road trip was another four-game loss to a MAC opponent. The Falcons dropped the contest 22-30, 24-30, 32-30, 26-30.
As in many previous matches, there were a few bright spots for the Falcons. Sophomore Taylor Twite had an impressive performance tallying 13 kills, a season and career-high, and 5 blocks assists to lead BG. Gamby also slammed down 13 kills of her own. Left-side hitter Norris notched her 14th double-double performance of the 2002 campaign with 15 kills and 10 digs to lead the team in both categories.
FALCON FACTS
After last weekend, several players notched career milestones. Junior Susie Norris tallied her 900th career kill while leading the Falcons offensively against Kent State. The Bascom, Ohio native has totalled 907 for her career. The junior also recorded her 13th and 14th double-double performances of the season against Eastern Michigan (15 kills, 23 digs) and Kent (15 kills, 10 digs). Junior Nadia Bedricky also reached a milestone as she earned her 200th dig for the season and currently has 574 for her career. Bridget Protas notched her first double-double of the seaon against Eastern Michigan with 11 kills and 16 digs, a personal best.
VAN DE WALLE WINS 365TH, 170TH
Falcon head coach Denise Van De Walle earned her 365th career victory and her 170th Mid-American Conference victory with a win over Miami University on Saturday, October 19. The dean of MAC mentors is in her 20th season at the helm of the BG program and has compiled an overall record of 367-244 (.601).
Van De Walle became the first-ever coach to amass 350 career wins at a MAC school, reaching that plateau in the Falcons' Oct. 20, 2001 win over Marshall...the team's 21 wins last season enabled her to become the winningest coach in league history...Van De Walle's total of 171 MAC wins through last week's matches ranks her third all-time on that list.
FALCON STAFF
Jeff Belmonte (Aquinas '89) is in his first season with the Falcon program...Belmonte was named assistant coach in March of 2002...Sean Huiet is in his third season with the BG volleyball program, and his second as an assistant coach.
