Bowling Green State University Athletics
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Western Michigan University
Falcons Fall to Broncos in MAC Semifinals
November 23, 2008 | Volleyball
Nov. 23, 2008
TOLEDO, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University volleyball team fell to the Mid-American Conference regular season champions, Western Michigan 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 16-25, 21-25) tonight (Nov. 22) in the MAC Tournament semifinals. The Falcons finished the season 25-9 overall and 12-4 in the MAC, recording their third straight season of 20-plus wins and fifth consecutive winning season.
"The match today was a tough one in so many ways," said head coach Denise Van De Walle. "It put an end to the most difficult season for me personally but one of the most enjoyable I have ever had. This team overachieved this year. We lost 5 seniors from last year with a lot of playing time and ball control. We replaced that with youth, commitment and heart."
The Falcons were one of two teams to defeat the MAC regular season champions but didn't have quite enough to defeat them once again in the MAC Tournament semifinals.
Despite the loss and the end of the season for the Falcons, it was a night to remember for one Falcon in particular, senior Chelsey Meek, who became the new all-time MAC dig leader. Meek set a new MAC career record for digs as she recorded her 2,274th career dig in the first set of BG's match. Meek ended her career with 2,287 digs now the all-time leader in MAC and BG history.
The Falcons came out strong in the first set opening the match with back-to-back kills from Meghan Mohr taking a 2-0 lead. The Falcons extended their early lead to seven over the Broncos, 10-3 after two consecutive three-point runs. The Orange and Brown maintained their lead until the Broncos were able to put together a three-point followed by a four-point run to tie the set up 16-16. A kill from Sam Fish ended the Broncos run but Western Michigan came right back with another three points to take a two point lead, 19-17 over the Falcons. With the Falcons down 21-20 a kill from Fish sided-out for BG and led to four straight points. The run include three straight kills from Mohr which secured set point for the Falcons. The Broncos were able to fight off one Falcon set point but after a Western Michigan service error the Falcons took the first set, 25-22. The Falcons' had their best set of the match terminating 20 kills and hitting a .289. Mohr was on firing with a perfect performance at the net terminating a set high nine kills and no errors in 15 attempts hitting an impressive .600.
The Falcons came out firing once again in the second set as a kill from Shari Luther put BG on the scoreboard first. The Falcons then put together four straight points started by a kill from Mohr to take a 5-2 lead. The Falcon run included two kills from Mohr and two double-blocks from Mohr and Luther. The Broncos tied up the set 8-8 after a three-point and then came back with two more back-to-back three-point runs to take a 15-11 lead. Luther terminated play with a kill to stop the Broncos allowing the Falcons to score points in a row cutting Western Michigan's lead to two, 18-16. The Broncos put together yet another three points to extend their lead to five, 22-17. The Broncos secure set point, 24-19 but the Falcons never gave up fighting off one set point with a kill from Corey Domek but didn't have enough to get past the Broncos dropping the second set 20-25.
The Broncos took their momentum from the second set and used it to take an early 4-1 lead over the Falcons in the third set. A kill from Luther put a stop the Broncos and led to three straight points for BG to tie the set up 4-4. The Broncos then strung together two three-point runs to regain the lead, 12-8 over the Falcons. The Falcons were able to cut the Broncos lead to four, 18-14 after scoring points in a row but Western Michigan answered back with four straight points to secure set point, 24-15. Once again the Falcons didn't give up fighting off one set point but fell 25-16.
With the Falcons down two sets to one they came out aggressive in the fourth set taking the first point as Kendra Halm terminated a kill. The Falcons were then able to score points in a row taking an early 7-3 lead. The Broncos answered back with the longest run of the match, six points to take a 9-7 lead. The Broncos began to extend their lead as they were able to continue scoring points in row taking an 18-11 lead. A kill from Domek sparked a three-point run for the Falcons cutting the Broncos' lead to four, 20-16. Western Michigan fired back with their own three-point run but another kill from Domek stopped the Broncos and started another run for the Falcons. BG put together four straight points to come within three of Western Michigan, 23-20. The Broncos secure set point, 24-21. The Falcons were able to fight off one set point to stay alive but ended up falling, 25-21.
The Falcon offense was led by the three big guns once again. Mohr terminated a match high 21 kills with a .356 hitting percentage, her fourth consecutive and 22nd match of double-digit kills this season. Also in double-digits were Domek with 16 kills and Halm with 11. Fish once again ran the offense for BG dishing out 50 assists.
The Falcon defense was stellar much like the rest of the season also with three players in double-digits. Leading the way was Alex Zlabis with a match and career high 20 digs. Right behind her was Meek with 19 digs, including her record breaking 2,274th career dig. Also in double-digits was Susie Isphording with 11.
"I thought we were prepared and ready and it looked that way in the first set," said Van De Walle. "We played with confidence and things went our way at the net. Meghan was unstoppable. As the match went on I thought Western played better and better and we couldn't get into rhythm blocking. It just seemed liked things went wrong at critical times and we gave up strings of points. You just can't do that in a Championship environment against a team as good as Western Michigan. We needed more production from some of our hitters so that Meghan and Kendra could get the one on ones we needed. We passed the ball pretty well overall but at crucial times it seemed as though passing broke down. A big highlight of the match was the play of Alex Zlabis. She did an outstanding job in the backrow. It was the best I have ever seen her play. She brought her A game today. To sum it up Western Michigan outplayed us and they won. It was their day."
The Falcons had a tremendously successful season finishing with 25 wins, only one of three teams in the MAC to record 20 wins this season. The Falcons were undefeated in MAC play at home in Anderson Arena, along with earning two tournament titles, the Temple Invitational and the Marquette Challenge. The Falcons were successful individually as well setting numerous records and earning a variety of awards from All-MAC honors and Academic All-District honors to All-Tournament and MAC Player of the Week awards.
"Unless you coach you really can't understand the highs and lows of this profession," stated Van De Walle. "On Friday we were on top of the world with the win over Central Michigan, getting our 25th win with tears of joy and hugs of happiness. Within 36 hours we're in a valley with tears of sadness and hugs of "it's over". There's nothing like it. It's hard to explain these feelings."
"I am so proud of this senior class," said Van De Walle. "They led this team to a season they can be so proud of. You can look around the country and see that a 25 win season in volleyball doesn't happen very often at all and they are a big reason we did it. Their commitment and love of BGSU volleyball is terrific. They played their hearts out against Western Michigan, we just needed more from the rest of the team. I was thrilled that Chelsey set the new MAC record for digs in a career in that match. It was awesome that her family and friends and all the BG fans were there to see her to do it."
