Bowling Green State University
Purdue Fort Wayne
Falcons Fall To IPFW, 3-1
October 06, 2004 | Volleyball
Oct. 6, 2004
FORT WAYNE, Indiana - The Bowling Green State University volleyball team (9-7, 2-2 MAC) fell in four games (30-22, 24-30, 27-30, 23-30) to IPFW on Wednesday night inside Hilliard Gates Sports Center. IPFW also recorded a three game victory over the Falcons back on September 5 at the NU Labor Day Invite.
Even in the loss, several Falcons had impressive nights. As a team, BGSU record 87 digs versus the Mastodons. Leading the way was freshman libero Elizabeth Simon who paced the Falcons with a career-best 25 digs.
Offensively Taylor Twite once again led the Brown and Orange with 14 kills to go along with a .323 hitting percentage. She also had a team-high 15.5 points.
The Falcons used a .312 hitting percentage as a team to capture game one over IPFW, 30-22. With the score knotted at 10-10, BGSU, with the help of two kills apiece by Melissa Mohr and Stephanie Swiger, were able to take a five-point edge at 18-13. The offensive barrage continued with two straight kills by Twite, concluding a 16-9 run and a game one victory.
"In game one we had excellent execution," said head coach Denise Van De Walle. "We had great passing and set selection throughout."
Role-reversal was the name of game two. While IPFW (12-6) hit .375 in game two, BGSU could only manage a .152. The Falcons were able to hang in the game with stellar defensive play, but with a 19-19 tie, the Masodons went on an 11-5 run to close out game two, 30-24.
Game three was much like the previous. For the first 40 points the advantage never reach more then a couple of points, only this time neither team had more then a two point advantage until IPFW close out game three with a 5-2 spurt for a 30-27 game three victory.
Early in game four it looked as if Bowling Green was going to push it to a fifth game. They opened game four with a 10-7 scurry with the help of three Emily Manser kills. The Mastodons had other plans. They put together a 7-1 run to take a 14-11 lead, and stretched that advantage to 24-16 following a 10-5 run. BGSU got as close as 27-21, but the IPFW lead was too much. The Falcons fell in game four, 30-23.
"We would crush the ball and they would dig it somehow and win a rally out of it," said Van De Walle. "They played very well."
The Falcons had the advantage in nearly every category. Kills (64-62), assists (63-57) and digs (87-83), but the service game is what held back the BGSU victory, and has been a trend in many of the Falcon losses this season. The Brown and Orange fell to 2-6 this season when they are out served (compared to 7-1 in games they aren't). Tonight versus IPFW, the Falcons had four aces and 13 service errors, compared to six aces and six service errors for the Mastodons.
"Tonight was a night of too many service errors," said Van De Walle. "They kept coming at terrible times and gave us holes we could not dig out of."
Other notable offensive performances included 11 kills by Emily Manser and Melissa Mohr. Stephanie Swiger chipped in with nine, while setter Amber Mareski record seven kills and a .538 hitting percentage. Ashlei Nofzinger stepped of the bench and chipped in with six kills as well.
Defensively is where BGSU stood out. Even with Simon grabbing 25 digs, three other Falcons surpassed the double-digit mark. Emily Manser poured in 18 digs, followed by Chrissy Gothke (13) and Mareski (12).
Up next for the Falcons are trips to Toledo (Oct. 8) and Northern Illinois (Oct. 9). Both matches are slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.
