Bowling Green State University Athletics
MAC Tournament Up Next For Falcons
November 17, 2003 | Volleyball
Nov. 17, 2003
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University volleyball team will travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan, on Tuesday (Nov. 18) night where they will face-off with the Eagles of Eastern Michigan at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles defeated BGSU in the only contest of the season with a four-game victory 27-30, 30-20, 27-30, 15-30 on October 24 inside the Convocation Center.
The Falcons finished the 2003 regular season with a 12-18 overall and 4-12 Mid-American Conference record after dropping matches to Western Michigan and Northern Illinois over the weekend.
Eastern Michigan finished the season at 20-9 overall and 8-8 in conference action. The Eagles have lost three straight, falling to Northern Illinois, Miami and Ball State to close out the regular season.
HOW THE TEAMS MATCHUP
On the offensive side of the ball BGSU hit only .180 for the season placing 12th in the MAC. EMU finished the year in ninth with a .196 hitting percentage. The Eagles average 15.56 kills per game, which ranks fourth in the MAC, while BGSU averaged 14.77 kills per game, which ranks eighth.
With 20.08 digs per game the Eagles led the MAC in that category. BGSU finished the season with 17.48 digs per game, ranking third in the MAC. At the net EMU averages 2.26 blocks per game while Bowling Green is directly behind then with 2.08 blocks per game.
MAC TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
Ohio University is the top seed in the 2003 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament, earning one of three first round byes in the tournament, which opens Tuesday on campus sites. Also earning the byes are No. 2 seed Central Michigan, the West Division Champion, and Akron, the No. 3 seed. The Bobcats finished the regular season with a 15-1 mark in MAC play and enter the quarterfinals with an overall record of 25-4.
Five first round matches -- all starting at 7 p.m. local time -- will take place at the five higher seeds (seeds 4-8), with the winners joining Ohio, Central Michigan and Akron in the quarterfinals in Muncie, Ind., next Friday, Nov. 21.
This year marks the first time that all 13 teams qualified for the tournament. Ball State is the defending MAC tournament champion.
The host Cardinals (15-14, 9-7), the No. 4 seed, will entertain No. 13 Miami (10-21, 4-12), which enters the tournament with consecutive victories over Eastern Michigan and Akron. The winner of that match will meet the winner of No. 5 seed Eastern Michigan (20-9, 8-8) and No. 12 seed Bowling Green (12-18, 4-12) Friday at 7 p.m.
Northern Illinois (19-10, 8-8), the No. 6 seed and winners of three straight, hosts No. 11 Buffalo (11-19, 5-11). The winner will meet the Zips (16-12, 11-5) at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Tenth-seeded Toledo (10-21, 5-11) travels to seventh-seeded Marshall (18-15, 8-8), with the winner opening quarterfinal action at 1 p.m. on Friday against the Chippewas (18-12, 11-5), who won their first-ever MAC West Division crown.
The Bobcats, who won their second MAC East Division title and the program's first-ever MAC regular season crown, will play the winner of No. 8 Kent State (12-13, 8-8) and No. 9 Western Michigan (15-12, 8-8) at 5 p.m. on Friday following the first round contest in Kent, Ohio.
The semifinals will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at BSU's Worthen Arena, with the title match slated for Sunday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. The winner of the MAC Tournament will gain the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2003 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, November 18 (at campus sites) Match #1 -- No. 13 Miami at No. 4 Ball State, 7 p.m. Match #2 -- No. 12 Bowling Green at No. 5 Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m. Match #3 -- No. 11 Buffalo at No. 6 Northern Illinois, 7 p.m. Match #4 -- No. 10 Toledo at No. 7 Marshall, 7 p.m. Match #5 -- No. 9 Western Michigan at No. 8 Kent State, 7 p.m.Friday, November 21 (at Muncie, Ind.) Match #6 -- No. 2 Central Michigan vs. Winner Match 4, 1 p.m. Match #7 -- No. 3 Akron vs. Winner Match 3, 3 p.m. Match #8 -- No. 1 Ohio vs. Winner Match 5, 5 p.m. Match #9 -- Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 22 (at Muncie, Ind.) Match #10 -- Winner Match 6 vs. Winner Match 7, 4:30 p.m. Match #11 -- Winner Match 8 vs. Winner Match 9, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 23 (at Muncie, Ind.) Match #12 -- Winner Match 10 vs. Winner Match 11, 1 p.m.
