Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Fly North to the Badger State
September 11, 2008 | Volleyball
Sept. 11, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - After capturing their first tournament title at the Temple Invitational and recording back-to-back winning weekends the Falcons will pack their bags and travel North to the Badger State to wrap-up their 11 match opening road trip. The Falcons will compete at the Marquette Challenge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in what could also be referred to as `the Battle of the Birds'. The Falcons will start off the weekend matching up against the Green Bay Phoenix on Friday (Sept. 12) at 7:00 p.m. Day two (Sept. 13) will pit the Falcons against a familiar opponent, the Temple Owls at 11:30 a.m. and finally against the Marquette Golden Eagles at 8:00 p.m.
BGSU Volleyball Release in PDF Format 
FALCONS LIVE FROM MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
For all Falcon fans that can't make it to the live action court side in Milwaukee, Wisconsin the Falcons matches at the Marquette Challenge will be live via Live Stats by visiting www.gomarquette.com or www.BGSUFalcons.com.
MARQUETTE CHALLENGE MATCH-UPS
Falcons vs. Phoenix • (9/12 • 7:00 p.m.)
The Falcons will open the Marquette Challenge against the Green Bay Phoenix, which will be the first meeting between the two teams in program history ... the Phoenix are currently 3-4 after posting a 1-2 record at their home tournament the Green Bay Country Inn & Suites Classic ... the Phoenix defeated Fresno State, 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 15-10) and fell to Drake, 3-0 (31-33, 17-25, 22-25) and Northern Arizona, 3-1 (26-24, 17-25, 21-25, 19-25).
Falcons vs. Owls • (9/13 • 11:30 a.m.)
The Falcons will take on Temple for their second meeting of the season in the last two weekends ... the Owls are currently 3-2 after defeating Delaware, 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-14) ... the Atlantic-10 opponent was picked to finish first in the East division after posting a 16-20 overall record and 9-4 in A-10 play in 2007 ... the Falcons lead the Owls, 4-1 in the all-time series ... the last meeting between the Falcons and Owls was last weekend at the Temple Invitational, where the Falcons came back to defeat the Owls, 3-1 (25-27, 27-25, 28-26, 25-21).
Falcons vs. Golden Eagles • (9/13 • 8:00 p.m.)
The Orange and Brown will finish the Marquette Challenge against host Marquette for the first time in the millennium ... the Golden Eagles are currently 2-4 after posting a 1-2 record at the UNI Tournament ... the Golden Eagles defeated Northern Illinois, 3-1 (30-28, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23) and fell to Clemson, 3-0 (25-10, 25-23, 25-17) and Northern Iowa, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-17) ... the Falcons lead the Golden Eagles, 2-1 in the all-time series ... the BG vs. Marquette series thus far has been played in three consecutive years from 1997-99 ... the Falcons won the first two meetings while the Golden Eagles won the last meeting between the two, 3-0 (11-15, 4-15, 11-15).
FALCONS CAGE GRIZZLES
The Falcons started off the week with their third sweep of the season downing the Grizzles in three straight sets (25-22, 25-22, 25-18) on Tuesday (Sept. 9).
The Orange and Brown continued their winning streak against Oakland now 12-matches long as they remain undefeated against the Grizzles (12-0).
THE HALM-INATOR
Senior middle block Kendra Halm became the 14th Falcon in program history to record 1,000 career kills. Halm terminated her 1,000th career kill in the Falcons sweep (25-22, 25-22, 25-18) over the Oakland Grizzles (Sept. 9).
FALCONS WIN TEMPLE INVITATIONAL
The Falcons won their first tournament title of the season at the Temple Invitational posting a 2-1 record. The Falcons started off the tournament with their only loss of the weekend to Fairfield, 2-3 (25-13, 15-25, 21-25, 25-13, 12-15). BG bounced back to finish the Temple Invitational with two come from behind wins, defeating host Temple, 3-1 (25-27, 27-25, 28-26, 25-21) and Army, 3-2 (23-25, 28-30, 26-24, 25-22, 15-7) to win the Temple Invitational.
SENIOR TRIO NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT AT TEMPLE INVITATIONAL
The Falcon volleyball senior trio, Kendra Halm, Chelsey Meek and Meghan Mohr were named to the Temple Invitational All-Tournament team (Sept. 8) after leading BG to their first tournament title of the season. Halm was also named the MVP of the tournament after terminating a team high 57 kills hitting a .362 and averaging 3.00 kills per game and18 blocks averaging 0.95 blocks per game for the weekend, including double-digit kill performances in all three matches. Meek also posted a team best with 84 digs and three service aces on the weekend, including three double-digit dig performances. Mohr posted the second most kills, digs, assists and service aces for the Falcons with 54 kills hitting a .244, averaging 2.84 kills per game, 35 digs, 12 assists and four service aces. Her best performance also came against Army as she recorded her first double-double of the season with 13 kills and 11 digs.
HALM HITS TOP 30 IN THE NATION
Kendra Halm hit her way to the top 30 in the nation with a .405 hitting percentage with 88 kills averaging 3.03 kills per game. Halm's performance in the first two weeks of the 2008 season also earned her two All-Tournament selections including MVP honors at the Temple Invitational and the first MAC East Division POW of the year.
HALM NAMED MAC EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior middle blocker Kendra Halm of Bucyrus, Ohio was named the first Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week of the season (Sept. 1). Halm opened the 2008 season in record-breaking style leading the Falcons to a 2-1 record and second place finish at the Florida State Invitational earning All-Tournament honors. She was unstoppable at the net stuffing a career high 14 hitters against Florida A&M, a new BGSU record for total blocks in a three set match along with setting a new BGSU record for block assists in a three set match with 13 (Halm held the previous record of 12). For the weekend she led the Falcons with 31 kills hitting a .500 and averaging 3.10 kills per game and 18 blocks averaging 1.80 blocks per game.
FALCON MIDDLES NAMED TO FSU ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
After leading the Falcons in all three matches at the Florida State Invitational middle hitters Kendra Halm and Shari Luther were named to the All-Tournament team. Halm and Luther led the Falcon attack with 31 kills a piece on the weekend. Halm terminated 31 kills averaging 3.10 kills per game, hitting a .500 along with a team high 18 blocks averaging 1.80 per game. She posted a weekend and team high 14 kills with only two errors posting a .571 hitting percentage despite BG's, 3-1 loss to host FSU. Halm had an even better performance against the Florida A&M Rattlers posting a new career best 14 blocks, setting a new BG record for total blocks and block assists in a three set match. Luther also posted big numbers the entire weekend at the net posting 31 kills averaging 3.10 kills per game and 13 blocks averaging 1.30 blocks per game, the second best of the weekend for the Falcons.
bFALCONS STUFF THE RATTLERS TO SET NEW RECORDS
The Falcons stuffed the 2007 MEAC Champions, Florida A&M, 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-15), to finish the FSU Invitational and for their second sweep of the tournament and season. The Falcons demolished the BGSU match record for block assists in a three game match recording 35 against the Rattlers. Two-time first team All-MAC selection Kendra Halm led the way with a career high 14 blocks setting a new BGSU three set record for total blocks (14) and breaking the BGSU record, which she currently held, for block assists in a three set match with 13.
FALCONS OPEN 2008 WITH A WIN
Head coach Denise Van De Walle and the Falcons opened the 2008 season with a smashing victory over the Stetson Hatters in their very first meeting, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-11). The Orange and Brown dominated the Hatters at the net nearly doubling the Hatters' kills (40-21) while stuffing seven blocks compared to Stetson's two. The three set sweep marked the Falcons' first win in a season opener since 2002 against Oakland (Sept. 3).
COACH HARDAWAY TO LEAD FALCONS
BGSU assistant coach Mark Hardaway is set to the lead the Falcons while head Denise Van De Walle is over seas at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Hardaway will take the reigns for the second time of his career after leading the Orange and Brown to an 8-2 record in 2004 while Van De Walle was in Athens for the Paralympics. Hardaway's 8-2 record in 2004 included a 4-0 sweep at the West Virginia Invitational and a 2-0 start in the Mid-American Conference with wins over Toledo and Northern Illinois.
THE ROAD TO GOLD FOR VAN DE WALLE AND TEAM USA
BGSU volleyball's head coach Denise Van De Walle and the USA Women's National Sitting Volleyball Team will begin their road to gold as they head to the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, which will begin on Sept. 6. All Falcon and USA fans can follow Coach Van De Walle and Team USA's journey at the 13th Paralympics by visiting www.BGSUFalcons.com. Live video and highlights of the 2008 Paralympics can also be viewed at www.UniversalSports.com and www.usparalympics.org
FALCONS HOME OPENER
After defending their home court in Anderson Arena in 2007 posting a 12-1 record, the Falcons look to continue dominating their visiting opponents as they open their 2008 home schedule with the Best Western Invitational (Sept. 19-20) as the defending champions. The Falcons will welcome Binghamton, Rice and Hofstra for the two-day tournament.
THE STRONG TRADITION CONTINUES...
The 2008 season marks the 33rd campaign of varsity volleyball at BGSU. Over the first 32 years of the program, the Falcons have an overall record of 560-429-3, for a winning percentage of .565. In 25 season in the Mid-American Conference the Falcons have posted a conference record of 218-173, for a winning percentage of .558.
MAC POLL RELEASED
The BGSU volleyball team was picked to finish the 2008 season fourth in the Mid-American Conference East division announced by the conference office Monday (Aug. 25). The MAC preseason poll was voted on by the 12 head coaches in the league. The Falcons were seeded fourth behind Miami, the 2008 MAC Tournament Champions, Ohio the defending MAC East Division Champions and Kent State.
FALCONS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS ON THE COURT AND IN THE CLASSROOM
The American Volleyball Coaches Association honored the BGSU volleyball team along with 352 other collegiate and high school volleyball teams with the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2007-08 season. The Falcons were one of 70 Division I women's volleyball teams and one of the five Mid-American Conference teams to receive this honor. The 2007 Falcons' award is the ninth AVCA Team Academic Award in program history and marks the eighth consecutive year the team has received this honor, which is the second longest streak in Division I volleyball.
The 2007 season was a winning and successful season on and off the court for the Falcons as Head Coach Denise Van De Walle and the squad posted a 21-10 overall record and 12-4 record in the MAC, the fourth straight winning season and second consecutive 20-plus win season. In the classroom the five seniors of the 2007 team all graduated with a 3.00 cumulative GPA or higher. The eight veterans that will lead the 2008 team also all posted above a 3.00 cumulative GPA with four players above a 3.5, including one perfect 4.0 during the 2007-08.
THE FALCON FIVE
For the second year in a row five Falcons received All-MAC honors. Falcon middle hitters, Senior Stephanie Swiger and junior Kendra Halm were both named first team All-MAC for the second consecutive season. Teammates junior Meghan Mohr and sophomore Corey Domek were named second team All-MAC with freshman setter Sam Fish rounding out the bunch for the Falcons on the All-MAC Freshman squad. The Falcons will return four of their five All-MAC player in 2008 for the second straight season.
