Falcons Fall In Season Opener

Friday, August 30

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

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Marquette (MAC Championship Recognition)

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Marquette

Bowling Green

Photo by: BGSU Marketing and Communications

August 30, 2013 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Photo Gallery | Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University volleyball team began the regular season on Friday evening, dropping a four-set match to visiting Marquette inside the Stroh Center. The match was part of the Bowling Green Hampton Inn Invitational.

The Falcons dominated play for much of the first set, winning the set 25-19 over the Golden Eagles. The two teams would split the first 10 points, before the Falcons scored seven of the next nine to separate themselves from MU. Leading 14-12, the Falcons would score the next three points, helped by three Marquette errors. A service ace by Ashley Dunn would force MU to use their second timeout of the set, with the Falcons ahead 19-14. The Golden Eagles would never get within five points the rest of the match, with the Falcons taking the first set on an MU service error, 25-19.

The second set was tied through the first 22 points, as neither team ever led by more than a point. Senior Libby Dachenhaus would give the Falcons a spark, as she came off the bench for the first time in the match for a service ace. Dachenhaus's next serve would lead to a Paige Penrod kill. Following a Marquette ball-handling error, the Golden Eagles would use their first timeout with the Falcons up 14-11. Marquette would go on a run out of the timeout, tying it up at 18 points apiece. Neither team would be able to pull away in the second set, as the Falcons and Golden Eagles went back-and-forth throughout. With Marquette leading 24-23, freshman Jelena Sunjic would get a kill to even the set at 24. An error by MU would give the Falcons a 25-24 lead, but Marquette would score the final three points to claim a 27-25 win in set two.

The Orange and Brown jumped out to a quick 6-3 lead in the third set, and would lead 8-5 before Marquette would score five of the next six points. The Falcons would burn their first timeout of the set, trailing 15-12 following a Marquette kill. The two teams would split the next two points, with a Sunjic kill getting the Falcons with three points, at 16-13. From there, the Golden Eagles would separate themselves, claiming a 25-17 win in the third set.

The fourth set would follow a similar storyline to each of the first two sets, as it was tightly contested throughout. The Falcons would get two early kills by Danielle Tonyan to jump out to a 7-4 lead. The Golden Eagles would come roaring back, though, scoring the next three points to tie the match. Three points would be the largest margin the rest of the set, and the two teams found themselves deadlocked at 22 all late in the set. Marquette would get two straight kills before a service error to lead the Falcons 24-23, setting up a match-point. With the Falcons needing the point to stay alive, Marquette's Autumn Bailey would put it away with a kill. Bailey recorded a match-high 19 kills.

Two freshman saw action for the Falcons on Friday night for the first time in their careers, with Alyssa Maloney and Sunjic both contributing. Maloney got the start for the Falcons, recording four kills and a block while playing in all four sets. Sunjic added eight kills.

Penrod had a strong game for the Falcons on Friday night, as she recorded 13 kills while hitting .290. She also added four blocks. Kaitlyn Skinner led the Falcons in blocks, as she was able to turn the Golden Eagles away at the net eight different times. Four Falcons had eight-or-more digs on the night.

Bowling Green will play two matches on Saturday as part of the Hampton Inn Invitational. At 10 a.m., the Falcons will take on No. 25 Creighton, before squaring off with No. 13 BYU at 7 p.m. Creighton defeated BYU in four sets on Friday afternoon.