Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Falcon Volleyball Escapes With Tenth Straight Victory, Five-Game Win at NIU
October 03, 2006 | Volleyball
Oct. 3, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University volleyball team extended their current win streak to 10 matches after a five-game thriller in DeKalb, Illinois against Northern Illinois. The Falcons dominated the fifth game by hitting .700 and winning 15-5.
Coach Ray Gooden's Huskies executed offensively at a .333 pace in their 30-22 game one win while BGSU was held to a .184 hitting percentage. Junior Stephanie Swiger belted five kills and Junior Madeline Means was a perfect four-for-four on her attacks in the losing effort. Bowling Green fell victim to an early deficit and could not make up the difference.
The Falcon offensive attack made a complete turnaround in game two, posting a .395 hitting percentage in a 30-22 win. It was a tight game until a four-point Falcon run morphed a 17-16 score into a 21-16 BGSU edge that proved to be enough. Sophomore Kendra Halm recorded six kills in the game, including the final point of the game.
BGSU smothered the Huskies in game three, holding them to a dismal .057 hitting percentage. Stopping All-MAC performer Kate McCullagh was key to the Falcons success, forcing her into a negative hitting percentage. The Brown and Orange successfully dug 12 of McCullagh's 13 attack attempts with the last attack sailing out of bounds. Bowling Green captured the game 30-20.
Bowling Green remained hot in game four, compiling a match-high 24 kills. Senior Chrissy Gothke set up Halm for a monster kill that gave BGSU a 28-27 lead. Unfortunately, a NIU kill was then followed by two Falcon attack errors as the Huskies stole a 30-28 win to force a game five.
In Bowling Green's last five-gamer, a match against Duquesne on Sept. 15, the Falcons dominated in a 15-5 win. Saturday night was no different as the Brown and Orange cruised to a 15-5 win once again. Means three kills paced the Falcons and their .700 hitting pace in the clincher.
With the win, Bowling Green improves to 14-2 overall and 3-0 in the Mid-American Conference.
The Falcons return to Anderson Arena for their next action, a home match against Akron on Friday Oct. 6 at 7 PM.
