Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
3-8
Rice
3-11
No Dice, Rice: Falcons Defeat Owls To Earn Saturday Split
September 21, 2013 | Volleyball
Box Score: Virginia Tech | Rice
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Bowling Green State University volleyball team split a pair of games at the Louisville Invitational Active Ankle Challenge on Saturday, falling to Virginia Tech in the first match before downing Rice in the nightcap. In the first match of the day, the Falcons lost in straight sets, 25-14, 25-21, 25-16. The Orange and Brown won the second match, downing the Owls by set scores of 25-20, 25-23, 15-25, 25-17. Bowling Green is now 3-8 on the season after today's two matches, and will begin MAC play on Thursday at Miami.
Virginia Tech's Megan Beckwith began the match with a service ace and service error, as the first set was tied 1-1. VT would score six of the next eight points, forcing the Falcons into a timeout at 7-3. The Falcons would hang around during the first set, as a Kaitlyn Skinner kill would make it 12-7 Hokies. Virginia Tech would score the next three points, and the Falcons were forced into a timeout trailing 17-8. The Falcons would never get rolling, as they hit .000 in the set en route to a 25-14 loss.
The second set would be the Falcons' best, as they hit .242 in the set. However, the Hokies would record an attacking percentage of .429 to hold on for the 25-21 win.
Needing to make a comeback in the third set to keep the match alive, the Falcons started the set by scoring the first three points. The Hokies would battle back to tie the set at four points a piece, and would eventually take a 6-5 lead that they wouldn't relinquish. After the Falcons led 5-4, Virginia Tech would score seven consecutive to take an 11-5 lead. The Falcons would not get within three points the rest of the set, as VT would win the third set 25-16.
In the second match of the day, the Falcons were able to rebound nicely, downing the Rice Owls in four sets. The Falcons jumped out quickly, winning the first two sets, before falling in the third set. The Falcons would bounce back in the fourth set, scoring 19 of the final 26 points of the set for the 25-17 win.
In the first set, Rice jumped out to a quick 4-2 lead, but the Falcons would score five straight to take a 7-4 lead. A Jelena Sunjic kill, a Kelsey Bates and Erica Fullenkamp block, and a service ace by Libby Dachenhaus helped the Falcons take the lead. Rice would not be able to tie the score the rest of the set, as Sunjic would record a kill for the 25-20 win.
In the second set, after falling behind 4-3 early on, the Falcons would retake the lead with strong play throughout. However, the Owls would hang in, as they would eventually come back to take a 17-16 lead in the second set. Two straight attack errors by Rice, and a block by Kaitlyn Skinner and Paige Penrod, would give the Falcons an 18-17 lead. The set would remain close throughout, as Rice and BGSU found themselves deadlocked at 20 late in the second frame. Rice would record a kill to force the Falcons into their final timeout, leading 21-20. A Penrod kill would tie the set, but Rice would once again regain the lead with a 22-21 lead. Senior Lindsey Butterfield would tie the set with a kill, at 22 points apiece. A kill by Fullenkamp and an ace by Skinner put the Orange and Brown ahead 24-22, with a serve for set point. The Owls would stave off one set point, but were unable to hold off the Falcons as the Orange and Brown took the 25-23 second set win.
Rice would come back with a vengeance in the third set, handling the Falcons 25-15.
In the fourth set, Rice appeared to be well on their way to claiming the fourth set, as they jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the set. But, the Falcons would roar back with eight straight points—five of them coming on Falcon kills—to take a 14-10 lead. Sunjic and Butterfield would lead the charge the rest of the way, as they combined for 11 kills in the 25-17 fourth set victory.
Two Falcons recorded double-digit kills, as Sunjic led the way with a career-high 19. Sunjic hit .447 in the match. Three Falcons also recorded double-digit digs, as Fullenkamp and Butterfield each had 11. Butterfield's 10 kills and 11 digs gave her a double-double in the match.
The Falcons will now turn their focus to Mid-American Conference play, as they begin MAC action on Thursday night at Miami. The Orange and Brown will return home next Saturday for a rematch of last season's MAC championship match, as Northern Illinois will come to Bowling Green for a 7 p.m. matchup.
