BGSU Wraps Up Road Swing With Matches At EMU And CMU

BGSU WRAPS UP ROAD SWING WITH MATCHES AT EMU AND CMU
After earning wins at Akron and Buffalo last weekend, the Falcons will wrap up a four-match road swing this weekend with matches at Eastern Michigan (Oct. 14) and Central Michigan (Oct. 15). Following this weekend's matches, the MAC schedule will be half finished. Currently, the Falcons own a 3-3 conference record, which puts them tied for fifth with two other schools. The top eight schools qualify for the MAC Tournament.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
The Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization (BGRSO) will be broadcasting both matches this weekend. To access the links to the broadcasts, visit the volleyball schedule page at BGSUFalcons.com. Additionally, both matches will have live stats. Links to live stats can also be found at BGSUFalcons.com. Furthermore, the Central Michigan match will have a free video stream, which is available at CMUChippewas.com. Fans are also encouraged to follow BGSU Volleyball on Twitter at @BGSUVolleyball for in-match updates.

TOMIC'S THOUGHTS
"This is an important weekend for us, playing two teams from the MAC West that we only face once in the regular season. EMU is a resilient team that will be ready to play us at home after two heart breaking five-set losses on the road last weekend. CMU is another resilient team that showed they can play tough after winning their last two home matches in five sets. We will have a good game plan prepared for both teams, but ultimately, it will come down to our execution, controlling things on our side of the net and playing as a team with purpose."

SCOUTING THE EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES
Last weekend, Eastern Michigan dropped a pair of five-set matches on the road to Central Michigan and Ohio. EMU started the conference schedule with a victory at Toledo, and following a loss at Ball State, moved to 2-1 with a win versus Western Michigan. However, EMU has now lost three-straight matches, as the Eagles were swept by Northern Illinois prior to last weekend's losses. EMU has been a solid defensive team, as the Eagles rank sixth in opponent hitting percentage (.210) and fifth in digs per set (15.14). Eastern Michigan owns an overall record of 7-12 (2-4 MAC).

SCOUTING THE CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan lost its first three conference games at the hands of Ball State, Toledo and Northern Illinois, before rebounding with five-set victories over Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. After playing the five other MAC West schools, CMU started its journey against the MAC East with a loss to Kent State. The Chippewas are 8-10, and 2-4 in Mid-American Conference play. CMU's Jordan Bueter ranks fourth in the MAC in kills per set (3.22), while she ranks first in the conference in aces per set (0.48).

FALCON VOLLEYBALL PICKS UP TWO ROAD VICTORIES LAST WEEKEND
Bowling Green didn't get off to the start it wanted to in conference play in 2016, as BGSU lost its first three matches, but after salvaging the last home stand with a win over Kent State on Oct. 1, the Falcons defeated both Akron (Oct. 7) and Buffalo (Oct. 8) on the road last weekend. After splitting the first two sets of the weekend at Akron, the Orange and Brown won five-consecutive sets to secure the perfect 2-0 weekend. The Falcons earned a 3-1 victory over Akron, and then swept Buffalo the next day.

GARDA NAMED MAC EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR THIRD TIME IN 2016
After earning the honor in back-to-back weeks on Sept. 12 and Sept. 19, Madeline Garda, a senior libero from West Chester, Ohio, was named the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10 for her play at Akron (Oct. 7) and Buffalo (Oct. 8). The inclusive early childhood education major was also tabbed as the MAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Week. The senior totaled 61 digs in two matches -- good enough for a ridiculous digs per set average of 8.71. Garda averaged over 30 digs per match. In Friday's win at Akron, she notched 35 digs (8.75 digs/set), which is the second most in school history for a four-set match. She followed that effort up with a 26-dig (8.67 digs/set) match in a victory over Buffalo.

THE BEST LIBERO IN THE LAND
Madeline Garda leads all of Division I volleyball in digs per set (6.63) and total digs (444). Amazingly, she now leads the digs per set category by over a full dig, as James Madison's Taylor Austin is averaging 5.56 digs per set. Garda currently has 1,418 career digs, which ranks fifth all-time in school history. The senior leads the country in total digs by 23 digs, even though the next closest competitor, Kaili Simmons of Western Illinois, has played 16 more sets than Garda. Below is the list of the top 10 liberos in the country, according to digs per set.

Digs Per Set
1. Madeline Garda (Bowling Green)   6.63
2. Taylor Austin (James Madison)   5.56
3. Markie Schaedig (Arkansas State)   5.44
4. Challen Geraghty (Kent State)   5.41
5. Lexus Cain (SFA)   5.41

Total Digs [Sets Played]
1. Madeline Garda (Bowling Green)   444 [67]
2. Kaili Simmons (Western Illinois)   421 [83]
3. Gabrielle Eyl (Northeastern)   420 [78]
4. Channing Burleson (Northwestern State)   404 [81]
5. Arden Fisher (Robert Morris)   399 [77]

NO STROH, NO PROBLEM
Bowling Green played its first six games at the Stroh Center in 2016, but the Falcons have played their best volleyball on the road this season. BGSU is 5-5 in Bowling Green, but the Orange and Brown are 8-1 away from the Stroh Center, with the only loss coming to MAC-West favorite Northern Illinois (Sept. 24). After picking up road wins at Akron and Buffalo this past weekend, the Falcons are 4-1 in true road matches. BGSU is 4-0 in neutral site matches. In those nine matches, BGSU has lost just eight sets.

BOWLING GREEN IS ALL ABOUT THAT #MACTION
The Falcons continue to lead a number of team-based statistical categories. BGSU leads the MAC as a team in hitting percentage (.259), assists (13.34/set), kills (14.19/set) and digs (16.82/set). BGSU also sits second in opponent hitting percentage (.183). Madeline Garda leads the nation and conference in digs per set at 6.63. Jelena Sunjic is tops in the MAC in kills at 4.38/set, while Isabel Kovacic ranks eighth (3.06). Sunjic also ranks fifth in hitting percentage at .335, while Alyssa Maloney is ninth at .302. Katie Scholten ranks first in assists per set (10.65).

MARCINIAK MAKES THE MOST OF HER TWO MAC STARTS
Freshman Isabelle Marciniak served as the Falcons' primary setter in both of BGSU's wins over the weekend. Marciniak had only played in one of Bowling Green's conference games before the weekend, as she racked up 28 assists in split time during a loss at Northern Illinois on Sept. 24. However, she made the most of her two starts at Akron (Oct. 7) and Buffalo (Oct. 8). She notched 40-plus assists in both matches. She had only eclipsed the 40 assist mark in one match prior to the weekend. In the victory over Akron, she picked up 46 assists, which fell one shy of tying her career best, which was set on Sept. 10 versus Drake. The next day at Buffalo, she registered 41 assists. For the season, Marciniak has 246 assists.

SUNJIC'S SENIOR SEASON TO REMEMBER
Jelena Sunjic is averaging a ridiculously-impressive 4.38 kills per set, which ranks first in the MAC. Her .335 hitting percentage is fifth best in the MAC. Sunjic surpassed 1,000 career kills earlier in the season, and currently has 1,110 kills to her name. Sunjic has had at least 15 kills in 11 matches, while she's posted double-digit kills in 15 matches. In BGSU's most recent matches, she registered 17 kills at Akron and 19 kills at Buffalo.

MALONEY MAKING AN IMPACT AND LEAVING A LEGACY
Alyssa Maloney has been at her best during her senior campaign. The senior is averaging 2.79 kills per set, and is hitting .302 on the year. She has posted double-digit kills in 11 matches, and she has hit over .400 in six matches. Maloney has hit at least .500 five times, and has eclipsed the .300 mark a staggering nine times. Maloney has registered 613 career kills.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, LITERALLY
The Falcons entered conference play having won seven-straight matches, which was the program's longest winning streak since 2011. Bowling Green was playing about as perfect as you can possibly play, as BGSU, incredibly, entered the Miami (Sept. 22) match having won 13-conseuctive sets. Additionally, the Falcons had won their last four matches via the sweep. Since sets were played up to 25 points, which began in 2001, the Falcons have only won four-straight matches, with all four matches being sweeps, two other times (2006, 2011).

GARDA BREAKS PROGRAM'S SINGLE MATCH DIGS RECORD
Madeline Garda turned in the greatest week of libero play in BGSU volleyball history over Sept. 7-10. She totaled 118 digs, which averages out to be 6.94 digs/set and 29.5 digs/match. Her three matches at the EIU Panther Classic (Sept. 9-10) were nothing short of incredible. She started the week off with 37 digs versus Louisiana Tech, which was one dig shy of the program record. She then notched 33 digs in a win over Eastern Illinois, before breaking the school record with a 40-dig effort against Drake. The previous record holder was Chelsey Meek, who posted 38 digs in 2007 in a match against Eastern Michigan. Meek totaled her 38 digs in a five setter, while Garda broke the school record in a four-set match.

BOWLING GREEN COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL EUROPEAN TOUR
The Falcons toured Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Italy spanning May 15-24. Coach Danijela Tomic was able to introduce her team to her family, as she is from Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Jelena Sunjic and Isabel Kovacic hail from Croatia and had the exact same opportunity. BGSU was able to visit a number of beautiful and historic cities on the tour, including Sarajevo, Kraljeva Suteska and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Metkovic, Split, Zadar, Pag, Rovinj and Porec in Croatia; and Venice, Verona and Milan in Italy. The team was also able to gel on the court, playing a total of five matches.

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Madeline Garda

Isabel Kovacic

Alyssa Maloney

Isabelle Marciniak

Katie Scholten

Jelena Sunjic

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