Falcons Head To Bucknell With 9-0 Record On The Line

Bucknell Invitational
Sept. 16-17/Lewisburg, Pa.

Bowling Green (9-0) vs. Stony Brook (3-6)
Sept. 16, 5 p.m.
All-Time Series History: BGSU leads 1-0 (Streak/BGSU 1 win)
Live Stats

Bowling Green (9-0) vs. Coppin State (3-8)
Sept. 17, 3 p.m.
All-Time Series History: First Meeting
Live Stats

Bowling Green (9-0) vs. Bucknell (3-3)
Sept. 17, 5 p.m.
All-Time Series History: BGSU leads 1-0 (Streak/BGSU 1 win)
Live Stats

Bowling Green opened the Stroh Center in impressive fashion this past weekend, defeating Michigan State and winning the Best Western Falcon Plaza Invitational with a 3-0 record. The Falcons improved to 9-0 on the year and Paige Penrod became the third player this year to earn a tournament Most Valuable Player award, as well as a Mid-American Conference Player of the Week honor. The Falcons have the opportunity to extend their winning streak to 12 matches, which would be the longest in program history to open a season.

FOLLOWING THE FALCONS
If you can't be on the road with the Falcons, all three of the team's matches can be followed via live stats. Follow the links at BGSUFalcons.com at game time. Fans can also follow along on twitter through the official twitter page of BGSU Athletics (@BGAthletics) and/or via volleyball SID Jason Knavel (@jknavel).

THE OPPONENTS
Stony Brook has opened the season with a record of 3-6 overall but did win 2-of-3 matches during the past weekend at the CCSU Invitational. The Seawolves have faced one Mid-American Conference team this year, dropping a three-set match to Kent State. Stony Brook uses an aggressive service game and has racked up 59 aces but also has 72 service errors. Three players have at least 10 aces and one of those, Alicia Nelson, is also the team leader with 144 kills (4.11 per set). The 6-foot-1 senior is hitting a team-best .266. The team's second-best hitter, Evann Slaughter, is a force at the net defensively, posting 36 blocks on the season, an average of 1.03 per set.

Coppin State enters the weekend with a record of 3-8 overall. The Eagles have faced one MAC opponent, losing in three sets to Miami (Ohio). The team has hit just .133 on the year and opponents are hitting at a .228 clip. The team does have 62 aces, 20 of which have come from 6-foot junior outside hitter Janka Schmitt. The team is also strong defensively at the net with 14 more blocks than their opponents this year. Salena Weekly, a 6-foot junior middle blocker, has 42 of those blocks, an average of 1.11 per set.

Bucknell is 3-3 on the year coming off of a five-set win over St. Peter's to close out the last weekend. The Bison attack with balance as six different players are contributing extensively in the kills department. Jessica Serrato, a 5-foot-10 sophomore outside hitter, leads the way with 2.95 kills per set and both 6-foot sophomore outside hitter Kristen Titley and 5-foot-10 sophomore outside hitter Morgan Mientus are over 2.00 kills per set as well. Bucknell does struggle with serve receive and has allowed an average of 1.79 aces per set.

WINNING!
Bowling Green's current nine-match win streak is the second-longest in program history to start a season. The 1990 team holds the current record by opening that season 10-0, a mark the Falcons could eclipse this weekend. In fact, the nine-match winning streak is tied for the ninth longest winning streak in program history. With three wins this weekend, Bowling Green would catapult to the third-longest winning streak in school history, trailing only a 17-match string in 2006 and a 16-match unbeaten stretch in 2007.

Win Streak (Year)
17 (2006)
16 (2007)
11 (1991)
11 (1977)
10 (1992)
10 (1991)
10 (1990)
10 (1989)
9 (2011)
9 (1987)

OPENING STROH
The opening match in the Stroh Center is one that will go down as one of the great moments in Bowling Green volleyball history. Not only did the Falcons stun Michigan State in four sets, but a record crowd of 2,961 fans watched that match. Spurred on by that total, Bowling Green's average home attendance of 1,111 ranks as the second-best in the Mid-American Conference this year. The 2,961 attendance is the single-match high for a home game in the MAC this year.

THREE OF A KIND
In the first three weeks of the 2011 season, Bowling Green has won three tournament trophies. The Falcons went 2-0 at the hurricane-shortened Kristen Dickmann Invitational, hosted by Navy, to earn the tournament championship. The team then went to Tampa, Fla., and won the USF Volleyball Invitational with a record of 4-0. Finally, the Falcons returned home to go 3-0 at the Best Western Falcon Plaza Invitational for a third tournament title.

M-V-P, M-V-P, M-V-P
In all three tournaments to open the year, a Bowling Green player earned tournament MVP honors. Danielle Tonyan earned the award at the Navy Invitational after posting 16 kills with a .536 attack percentage in a three-set sweep of Air Force and adding 11 kills, three aces, and two blocks in a sweep of Navy. Kari Galen was then named MVP of the USF Volleyball Invitational after posting 26 blocks in four matches, including a career-high 10 against Eastern Kentucky. She also had 29 kills and hit at a .386 clip. Paige Penrod followed up those performances with an MVP weekend in the Best Western Falcon Plaza Invitational. She had at least 16 kills in all three matches and a total of 54. She averaged 4.91 kills per set, 2.36 digs and serve received at a .972 rate.

ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Along with the tournament MVP awards, the Falcons have raked in all-tournament trophies as well. Emily Kauth has earned the award in each of the team's first three tournaments, while Ashley Dunn was named all-tournament in the USF Volleyball Invitational. Along with being MVP of the Navy Invitational, Danielle Tonyan was named all-tournament at the Best Western Falcon Plaza Invitational.

FROM MVP TO PLAYER OF THE WEEK
All three Falcons who earned tournament MVP honors followed that up with Mid-American Conference Player of the Week honors as well. Danielle Tonyan and Paige Penrod were named MAC East Offensive Players of the Week and Kari Galen earned the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week award.

ONLY THREE OF THE CURRENT PLAYERS WERE EVEN BORN THEN
It's been 21 years since the BGSU volleyball team started the year 9-0 as this year's team has done. In 1990, the Falcons opened the year 10-0 before eventually losing to Michigan State. Ironically, the Falcons extended their season-opening winning streak to seven matches by defeating the Spartans in the first match of the Best Western Falcon Plaza Invitational.

PACE LAP
It's early in the year, but the Falcons are currently on pace to post some impressive stats historically. At her current pace, Emily Kauth would set the school record for single-season attack percentage at .397. As well, Kari Galen's .375 attack percentage would tie for second all-time and her 1.34 blocks per set would rank eighth.

A SIMPLE FORMULA
If a team can hit better than its opponent, in most cases that team is more likely to win. For Bowling Green, that's proving to be true in the early-going. The Falcons lead the MAC in hitting percentage (.286) and rank fifth in opponent's hitting percentage (.175). Those numbers stand in stark contrast to a year ago when Bowling Green ranked dead last in the 12-team MAC in hitting percentage and 11th in opponent's hitting percentage.

THE DYNAMIC DUO
Bowling Green returns one of the most talented attacking duos in the Mid-American Conference in sophomores Paige Penrod and Danielle Tonyan. The duo is the only set of teammates in the MAC to both rank in the top 10 in the league in both kills and points. Tonyan is fourth in kills at 3.55 per set and Penrod is sixth at 3.36. In points, Tonyan ranks fifth at 4.23 and Penrod is right behind her in sixth at 3.98.

THE DYNAMIC DUO, PART TWO
While Paige Penrod and Danielle Tonyan crush the ball on the outside, teammates Emily Kauth and Kari Galen hit with precision from the middle. Kauth ranks second in the MAC with a .397 attack percentage and Galen is fourth at .375. No other set of teammates in the league are hitting at such a high percentage.

COMPARING THE MAC
Here are Bowling Green's rankings in the MAC as a team and as individuals:

Team
Hitting Percentage – 1. Bowling Green .286
Opponent Hitting Percentage – 5. Bowling Green .175
Assists/Set – 6. Bowling Green 12.24
Kills/Set – 5. Bowling Green 13.42
Blocks/Set – 2. Bowling Green 2.35
Aces/Set – 5. Bowling Green 1.39
Digs/Set – 12. Bowling Green 10.82

Individuals (Top 10 Rankings)
Hitting Percentage – 2. Emily Kauth .397; 4. Kari Galen .375
Kills/Set – 4. Danielle Tonyan 3.55; 6. Paige Penrod 3.36
Aces/Set – 5. Paige Penrod 0.39
Blocks/Set – 2. Kari Galen 1.34
Digs/Set – 10. Ashley Dunn 3.48
Points/Set – 5. Danielle Tonyan 4.23; 6. Paige Penrod 3.98

AMONG THE NATION'S LEADERS
Bowling Green is one of only 14 teams left in all of NCAA Division I (out of 322 teams) to remain undefeated. The Falcons have been thriving by hitting the ball at a .286 clip, which ranks 11th in the country. Listed below are the team's national rankings:

Team (Out of 322)
Win/Loss Percentage – T1. Bowling Green, 1.000
Aces/Set – 102. Bowling Green, 1.39
Assists/Set – 78. Bowling Green, 12.24
Blocks/Set – 67. Bowling Green, 2.35
Digs/Set – 309. Bowling Green, 10.82
Hitting Percentage – 11. Bowling Green, .286
Kills/Set – 69. Bowling Green, 13.42

Individuals (Top 250 Ranked)
Aces/Set – 115. Paige Penrod, 0.39
Blocks/Set – 32. Kari Galen, 1.34
Hitting Percentage – 30. Emily Kauth, .397; 52. Kari Galen, .375; 209. Danielle Tonyan, .308
Kills/Set – 124. Danielle Tonyan, 3.55; 157. Paige Penrod, 3.36

THE MAC IS TOUGH
In the first three weeks of the 2011 volleyball season, the Mid-American Conference has made a strong showing. The conference went 25-12 in week on, 27-13 in week two, and 25-16 in week three. Bowling Green, at 9-0, is the only undefeated team left in the conference but there are two other teams (Ball State at 9-1 and Western Michigan at 8-1) with just one loss and two more (Miami at 8-2 and Eastern Michigan at 9-2) with only two losses.

FIVE-SET SPECIALISTS
In recent history, Bowling Green has thrived in five-set matches, posting a .500 record or better in such contests every year since 2005. Overall, the team is 28-10 in such matches since 2005 and, even more impressively, 24-6 in the past five years. This year, the Falcons are 2-0 in five-setters, beating Eastern Kentucky and Maryland Eastern Shore in such matches. In fact, Bowling Green needed to win both the fourth and fifth sets in both of those matches.

Bowling Green's Record In Five-Set Matches Since 2005
2011: 2-0
2010: 2-2
2009: 6-2
2008: 9-1
2007: 5-1
2006: 2-2
2005: 2-2

DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Three active players have recorded at least one double-double in their career (posting at least 10 kills, digs, assists, blocks, or aces in a match in two of those categories). With three this year, Paige Penrod has a team-high 13 career double-doubles, followed by Laura Avila with five and Ashley Dunn with one.

Double-Doubles This Year
9/2/11 vs. Eastern Kentucky – Paige Penrod 10 kills, 10 digs
9/3/11 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore – Paige Penrod 17 kills, 11 digs
9/10/11 vs. SIU-Edwardsville – Paige Penrod 19 kills, 10 digs

20 KILLS OR 20 DIGS
Paige Penrod enters the season with three career matches with at least 20 kills (and a career-high 25 against Buffalo on Oct. 29, 2010), while Danielle Tonyan has added two career 20-kill matches, including a season-high 22 in the win over Michigan State. Ashley Dunn posted seven 20-dig matches a year ago and posted her eighth with 21 in a four-set win over SIU-Edwardsville.

20 Kills This Year
9/9/11 vs. Michigan State – Danielle Tonyan, 22

20 Digs This Year
9/10/11 vs. SIU-Edwardsville – Ashley Dunn, 21

VAN DE WALLE GOING OUT ON TOP
Last spring, Bowling Green head coach Denise Van De Walle announced that the 2011 season would be her last before she retires. With this year's 9-0 start, she has a career record of 517-365 and has been named MAC Coach of the Year four times. The Falcons have posted a record of 237-202 in conference action over the course of her career.

PENROD NAMED PRESEASON ALL-MAC
Sophomore outside hitter Paige Penrod was picked as a Preseason All-MAC East Division player by vote of the league coaches. Penrod joined Akron's Tina Dimitrijevs, Buffalo's Abby Niekamp, Miami's Cassie Farrell, and Ohio's Katie Post and Lexie Hartnett on the team.

FALCONS PICKED FIFTH
Bowling Green was picked to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference East Division in the preseason poll by vote of the league's coaches. Ohio was selected to win the East, followed by Miami, Akron, Buffalo, BGSU, and Kent State. In the West, Northern Illinois was picked to win, followed by Ball State, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and Toledo.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE
Senior defensive specialist Madison Nitta represented the United States on the US Deaf Volleyball Team during the past summer. Nitta, who has profound hearing loss, was a key player as the United States won the 2011 Friendship Games in Washington, D.C. The USA defeated the Ukraine twice along the way to the championship, the first time in more than six years that the Ukraine had been defeated in international play.

THE NEW HOME
The volleyball and basketball teams will move into the Stroh Center this year, a brand new arena on the campus of BGSU. The Falcon volleyball team has made the arena into a fantastic home court advantage, starting 3-0 in the Stroh Center, including a win over Michigan State.

HITTING THE BOOKS
Bowling Green has always stressed academics and Falcon volleyball has been a model of that philosophy. The 2010 BGSU volleyball team received the AVCA Academic Team Award for the 11th consecutive season, compiling a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or better. The Falcons have the second longest streak in all of NCAA Division I and has received the award 12 times overall.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Next Event

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Bowling Green State University Athletics

Falcons Head To Bucknell With 9-0 Record On The Line

Next Event

Related Videos