Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Battle For the Top of the MAC East
September 26, 2007 | Volleyball
Sept. 26, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
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The Falcons will pack their bags this weekend as they head out around Ohio putting their 2-0 MAC record and six match winning streak on the line when they take on MAC East opponents Kent State on Friday, Sept. 28 at 7:00 p.m. and #17 Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
THIS WEEKEND'S MATCHUPS
Falcons vs. Golden Flashes
The Falcons will take on the Golden Flashes in the first of two matches in the MAC East this weekend. The Golden Flashes are currently 10-4 overall, after entering MAC play and beating Akron (3-1) and Buffalo (3-0). Both the Falcons and the Golden Flashes are currently 2-0 in the MAC and tied for first with Ohio.
The Brown and Orange lead the all-time series against the Golden Flashes 39-16 as well as matches played on the Golden Flashes' home court, 14-10. The Falcons are on a four match win streak against the Golden Flashes. The last meeting between the two teams was on Nov. 10, 2006 where the Falcons swept the Golden Flashes at home (30-22, 30-24, 30-16).
Falcons vs. Bobcats BGSU will match up against #17 Ohio, in the second match of their back-to-back MAC games this weekend. The Bobcats are currently 10-3 overall and tied for the MAC East at 2-0 with BGSU and Kent State. The Bobcats beat Akron (3-0) and Buffalo (3-0).
The Falcons lead the Bobcats 40-19 in the all-time series and in the matches played on the Bobcats home court, 14-10. The Falcons will be looking to give the Bobcats some pay back after their three meetings last season. The last time the two teams met was for the MAC Tournament Championship, where the Falcons fell to the Bobcats in three (19-30, 25-30, 21-30).
THREE WAY TIE FOR MAC EAST DIVISION
BGSU volleyball is undefeated, 2-0 in the MAC after beating Miami and Northern Illinois. However, they aren't the only team 2-0 in the MAC East Division, the Falcons are sharing the number one spot with Kent State and Ohio both 2-0 in the MAC. The Falcons take on both teams this weekend looking to knock them both out of the number one spot in the MAC East.
FALCONS SOAR TO VICTORY OVER THE HUSKIES
The Falcons continued their undefeated season at Anderson Arena and in the MAC with a sweep over Northern Illinois in their MAC home opener winning (30-18, 30-24, 30-28) on Sept. 22.
The Falcons' net play was significant in their win once again dominating game one only allowing the Huskies to hit a .050 while the Falcons hit a .341. Meghan Mohr came up big to finish off game one with a kill and the Falcons winning, 30-18.
The Brown and Orange got off to a slow start in game two but came back to capture the lead. The Falcons won game two, 30-24, with the offense controlling game two terminating 21 kills hitting a .348.
Game three was a much closer battle between the two teams with neither team taking more than a three point lead. BGSU finished game three with a huge stuff block from Halm and Corey Domek, winning game three 30-28.
The Falcons had three players in double digits on offense. Mohr and Domek led the way with 12 kills apiece. Mohr had 12 kills with only two errors good for a .500. Halm had 10 kills with five blocks. Fish quarterbacked the offense collecting 44 assists. Leading the way on defense were Madeline Means and Chelsey Meek each picking up 19 digs.
FALCONS UNDEFEATED AT ANDERSON ARENA
The Falcons remain undefeated in Anderson Arena with their victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies on Sept. 22, now 5-0 on their home court.
The only team in volleyball history to go undefeated in Anderson Arena is the 1979 volleyball team.
COACH VAN DE WALLE CELEBRATES 25TH SEASON AND 450TH VICTORY
Head Coach Denise Van De Walle in her 25th season at the helm of the Falcons, earned her 450th career win as the Falcons beat the Miami Red Hawks on Sept. 20. Coach Van De Walle is the second most winningest coach in BGSU history only seven victories behind Danny Schmitz. Van De Walle leads the MAC as the winningest mentor.
The Falcons victory over the Huskies on Sept. 22, marked the 451st win for BGSU Head Coach Denise Van De Walle who was honored in a ceremony after the game to celebrate her 25th season at the helm of BSGU volleyball.
FALCONS PULL OUT 3-2 VICTORY OVER MIAMI
Head Coach Denise Van De Walle and the Falcons opened their MAC schedule Sept. 20 with a victory over the Miami University RedHawks, 3-2 (30-27, 29-31, 30-19, 22-30, 15-9). The victory was Coach Van De Walle's 450th career win and extended the Falcons' winning streak to five matches.
It was an all out battle the whole night with the Orange and Brown winning game one and then falling to the Red Hawks in game two. The Falcons came back to win game three but lost game four.
Everything came down to game five with the score tied 3-3, Swiger and Mohr stopped the Red Hawks with a block, giving the Falcons the momentum they needed to put together a five point run that a Miami time out couldn't break. The Falcons maintained the lead the rest of the game winning game five with a three point run, two of which were service aces from Elizabeth Simon, winning game five 15-9. The Falcons dominated the net in game five hitting a .500 with four blocks holding the Red Hawks to a mere .176 and no blocks.
This victory marked the first MAC win of the season for the Falcons extending their winning streak to five matches, gave Coach Van De Walle her 450th win. Halm also recorded her 300th career block, now totaling 303 career blocks.
The Falcon offense had four players in double digits, Halm led the way with 20 kills and seven blocks, picking up her 300th career block. After being named MAC East Player of the Week, Swiger put together another solid performance with 19 kills and nine blocks. Means recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 11 kills, 16 digs, and six blocks. Domek also contributed 11 kills. Fish had another tremendous performance running the office and collecting a career high 58 assists, six kills with no errors hitting a .462, and eight digs. Falcons defense was sound as well with Chelsey Meek recording 15 digs, Simon with 12 digs, and Maggie Karges with 11 digs.
HALM STUFFS 300 HITTERS
Junior Kendra Halm picked up her 300th career block in the Falcons victory over the Red Hawks (Sept. 20). Halm currently has 303 career blocks.
MEANS RECORDS SIXTH DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Madeline Means recorded her sixth double-double of the season against Miami with 16 digs and 11 kills. Means leads the team in double-doubles.
FALCONS, 3-1 IN THE LONG HAUL
The Falcons are now 3-1 in five game matches, winning back to back five game matches against Valparaiso and Miami.
FALCONS IN NCAA STATISITICS TOP 75
The Falcons are ranked in the top 75 in two NCAA statistical categories. The Falcons are ranked 66th in hitting percentages with a .234 and 73rd in digs with 17.23 digs per game.
MEEK MOVES UP IN RANK
Junior Chelsey Meek is now ranked in the top 25 in the NCAA for digs with 5.6 digs per game, moving from 27th last week to 24th this week.
Meek has picked up 1,303 career digs only 41 shy of the third most in BGSU history.
FALCONS IN MAC LEADER BOARD
BGSU volleyball is ranked third in the MAC for hitting percentages hitting a .236.
The Falcons have four individuals in the top ten in the overall MAC leader board this week. Senior Stephanie Swiger moved up the leader board once again this week, ranked third in hitting percentages with a .316, totaling 167 kills.
Junior Chelsey Meek is third in the MAC for digs with 5.50 digs per game totaling 308 digs. Junior Kendra Halm moved up to forth in the MAC in blocks with 1.07 blocks per game totaling 56 blocks this season.
Freshman Sam Fish has found herself in the top ten for the first time ranked 10th in assists averaging 9.25 assists per game and totaling 444 this season.
In conference play alone the Falcons have six players in the top ten of the MAC.
Fish is first in assists and fifth in hitting percentage. Halm is first in blocks and eighth in kills. Swiger is fourth in blocks and ninth in kills. Madeline Means is eighth in digs. Meek is ninth in digs. Elizabeth Simon is ninth in service aces.
