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Bowling Green State University
BALL STATE
Senior Trio Lifts Falcons Past Cardinals, 3-2
October 25, 2008 | Volleyball
Oct. 24, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Head Coach Denise Van De Walle and the Bowling Green State University volleyball team edged out, Van De Walle's alma mater, the Ball State Cardinals, 3-2 this evening (Oct. 24). The Falcons are now 17-7 overall, 6-3 in the Mid-American Conference, 7-1 in the month of October and 8-1 in five set matches this season.
The Falcon senior trio had a very impressive night, terminating over half of the Falcons' kills and setting two new records. Seniors Kendra Halm and Chelsey Meek both set new records. Halm set a new BGSU record for career block assists as she assisted a teammate to stuff her 414th career hitter. The program record (413) was previously held by Lori Kemerer (1996-99) and Lisa Mika (1988-91). Meek set a national record as she posted her 81st consecutive match of 10-plus digs, now the longest streak of all-time in nation as well as the longest streak of any current player. Meghan Mohr also had a stand out performance recording a team and match high 19 kills along with 12 digs for her seventh double-double of the season.
Despite recording the first point of the match off of a block from Shari Luther and Mohr, the Falcons couldn't quite find their groove in the first set. The Cardinals jumped out to an early 12-5 lead after three straight runs. The Falcons continued to fight back but were never able to overcome the Cardinals lead and dropped the first set, 16-25.
The Falcons were able to get things going early in the second set as they started off with seven straight unanswered points to take a 7-1 lead. The tables turned as the Cardinals struggled and were plagued by errors as the BG seven-point run was marked by seven Ball State errors. The Cardinals continued to fight trying to keep the set close bit the Falcons never gave up their lead. A late three-point run by the Cardinals brought them within two of the Falcons but that would be the closest they came to BG in the second set. The Falcons won the second set 25-20. The Falcons out hit the Cardinals posting a .270 hitting percentage compared to Ball State's .149. The seniors got the Falcons going in the second set as Mohr led the Falcons posting a perfect performance at the net with six kills on 13 attempts and no errors good for a .462 hitting percentage. Halm also was extremely efficient with three kills on four attempts good for a .750 hitting percentage, while Meek led the defense in the second set with 10 digs. With the match tied up 1-1, the
Falcons came out firing once again the third set taking an early lead after back-to-back three-point runs to take an 8-4 lead. The set remained fairly close with the Falcons ahead until they extended their lead after five straight points extending their lead to nine over the Cardinals, 19-10. The Falcon run was started by a kill from Halm. Mohr ended the set with a kill to give the Falcons the third set, 25-14. The Falcons turned their game up at the end of the set scoring 11 of the last 15 points. Once again the Falcons also dominated the net recording 13 kills and only one error in 28 attempts good for a .429, BG's best of the night, compared to the Cardinals nine kills and six errors posting a mere .091 hitting percentage. The Falcon seniors led the way for the second straight set as Halm posted another error free performance with seven kills and no errors on 10 attempts, hitting a .700. Mohr also posted a high efficiency with three kills and no errors on six attempts good for a .500.
The Falcons started off the fourth set of the match with a kill from Mohr to score first, however a three-point run by the Cardinals gave them an early, 3-1 lead over the Falcons. The Orange and Brown answered back with their own three-point run to take a 7-6 lead. The set remained close but the Cardinals were able to score points in a row and after three straight points Ball State took a 19-13 lead over the Falcons. The Falcons never gave up but fell to the Cardinals, 20-25 in the fourth set.
With everything coming down the fifth and finally set the Falcons score first off of a kill from Mohr, which led to three straight points for BG. The Cardinals answered back with a three-point run to tie the set up, 4-4. The set continued to go back and forth point for point with neither team taking more than two point lead. With the Falcons down 13-12 the Cardinals secured match point, 14-12 but a huge kill from Corey Domek sided-out for the Falcons and kept BG alive. The Falcons tied the set up 14-14 to keep things going. Once again the Cardinals secured set point but a kill from Mohr sided out for the Falcons and led to three straight points. The Falcons secured their first match point as defensive specialist Susie Isphording came up with a huge kill off of a back row attack. The Falcons then finished off the Cardinals with yet another kill from the BG back row as Meek terminated the match with a kill giving BG a 17-15 victory over Ball State. The Falcons once again had a strong performance at the net with 12 kills and only two errors good for a .400 hitting percentage compared to Ball State's .259. Mohr led the way for the Falcons in the fifth set recording five kills and only one error good for a .500 hitting percentage.
The Falcons' offense was led by the senior duo of Mohr and Halm, who terminated over half of the BG's kills (37). Mohr recorded a match high 19 kills with a .364 hitting percentage. Halm was right behind her with 18 kills and only two errors for a .432 hitting percentage. Luther was just shy of double-digits on offense with nine kills. Much like the rest of the season Sam Fish ran the Falcon offense dishing out 50 assists.
The Falcons had three players in double-digits on defense with Meek leading the way with a match high 25 digs, recording her 81st consecutive match of 10-plus digs becoming the new all-time leader in the nation. Isphording also was in double-digits with 15 digs, while Mohr posted 12 recording her seventh double-double of the season. At the net on defense for the Falcons Halm, Mohr, and Luther all posted four blocks, with Halm recording her 414th career block assist breaking the all-time BG record of 413. As the new leader Halm currently has 416 career block assists.
The Falcons will return to action tomorrow afternoon (Oct. 25) for their second match of a four-match homestand as they take on arch-rival Toledo at 3:00 p.m. at Anderson Arena.
