Falcons Finish Up Non-Conference Slate At UIC Invitational

FALCONS FINISH UP NON-CONFERENCE SLATE AT UIC INVITATIONAL
After a successful 7-3 start to the season, the Falcons will finish off its non-conference schedule this weekend with three matches at the UIC Invitational. Bowling Green will be hitting the road for just the second time this season. The Falcons opened up the 2016 season with consecutive home tournaments at the Stroh Center, and have played a pair of individual matches at home. BGSU went 3-0 at the EIU Panther Classic over Sept. 9-10 in its first matches away from Bowling Green this season.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
The Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization (BGRSO) will be broadcasting all matches at www.falconradio.org/listen-live/. Additionally, all three matches will have live stats, which can be found at www.UICFlames.com. Live video (ESPN3) will be provided for BGSU's match versus UIC on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Fans are also encouraged to follow BGSU Volleyball on Twitter at @BGSUVolleyball for in-match updates.

TOMIC'S THOUGHTS
"This weekend at the UIC Invitational, we are looking to build on the success that we've had so far with non-conference opponents. Something that we need to improve on from the last few matches is being more consistent with our play. Our highs are very high, but our lows can be very low. We are still learning how to be good for a longer period of time and get out of our lows faster. Our next three opponents are against quality teams that will make us earn every point, and give us an opportunity to grow even more as a team. Our focus continues to be maximizing and bettering each contact, each rotation and being good with fundamentals on our side of the net."

SCOUTING THE UMASS-LOWELL RIVER HAWKS
The River Hawks enter this weekend's invitational with a 5-6 record. They have went 1-2 at all three tournaments that they've competed at this season, while splitting a pair of non-conference single matches. UMass-Lowell has already surpassed its win total from a year ago, when they went 4-27 and 1-11 in American East play. The River Hawks are hitting .173 as a team, and averaging 11.8 kills/set, 10.9 assists/set and 12.0 digs/set.

SCOUTING THE SIUE COUGARS
After dropping three of its first four matches to open the 2016 season, the Cougars will pounce into Chicago on a four-match winning streak. Two of SIUE's losses have come to schools within the state of Ohio, as they've dropped matches to both Dayton and Toledo. The Cougars other loss was to Green Bay. SIUE is averaging 13.88 kills/set, and hitting a solid .201 as a team. The Cougars are also averaging 12.91 assists and 16.84 digs/set.

SCOUTING THE UIC FLAMES
The hosts of the invitational currently own a perfect 10-0 record. What is most impressive about UIC's flawless record is the fact that all 10 wins have come away from home. The Flames, who are 4-0 on the road this season and 6-0 on neutral site courts, will play their first home games of the season this weekend. The Flames are averaging 12.9 kills/set and hitting .195 as a squad. UIC is also averaging 12.2 assists/set and 13.7 digs/set.

BOWLING GREEN ERASES COMPETITION AT EIU PANTHER CLASSIC
Bowling Green is coming off a perfect 3-0 weekend at the EIU Panther Classic. The Falcons earned wins over Louisiana Tech, Eastern Illinois and Drake to improve to 6-3 on the season. After picking up five-set victories over Louisiana Tech and Eastern Illinois to begin the weekend, BGSU defeated Drake by a score of 3-1 to wrap up the invitational. Drake entered the match with an 8-2 record. Immediately following the match, Jelena Sunjic was named MVP of the EIU Panther Classic. Madeline Garda and Alyssa Maloney were named to the All-Tournament Team. The invitational marked the first time that BGSU has played away from the Stroh Center this season. BGSU picked up a road win over Eastern Illinois, and a pair of neutral site victories. Jelena Sunjic was named the MVP of the invitational, while Madeline Garda and Alyssa Maloney were named to the All-Tournament Team.

GARDA BREAKS PROGRAM'S SINGLE MATCH DIGS RECORD
Madeline Garda recently turned in the greatest week of libero play in BGSU volleyball history. She totaled 118 digs for the week, which averages out to be 6.94 digs/set and 29.5 digs/match. Her three matches at the EIU Panther Classic 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.

GARDA LEADS THE NATION IN DIGS PER SET
Sparked by her record setting week, which was capped with a program-best 40 digs versus Drake, senior libero Madeline Garda now leads all of Division I volleyball in digs/set. Garda is averaging 6.24 digs/set, and is the only player in the country to be averaging at least 6.00 digs/set. Furthermore, Garda ranks fourth in the country in total digs with 231. Below are the top 10 liberos in the country, according to digs/set.

1. Madeline Garda (Bowling Green)   6.24
2. Arden Fisher (Robert Morris)   5.95
3. Lexus Cain (SFA)   5.84
4. Katarina Morton (Kennesaw State)   5.80
5. Maddi Osburn (Boise State)   5.77
6. Emma Milstead (Gardner Webb)   5.65
7. Jenna Lerg (Michigan)   5.65
Cassie Wait (Kansas)   5.65
9. Challen Geraghty (Kent State)   5.58
10. Gabrielle Eyl (Northeastern)   5.55

GARDA AND SUNJIC NAMED MAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
On Sept. 12, Madeline Garda was named the MAC East's Defensive Player of the Week, while Jelena Sunjic was tabbed as the MAC East's Offensive Player of the Week. The two seniors led BGSU to a 3-1 week, which included a perfect 3-0 weekend at the EIU Panther Classic. Along with Garda's record-breaking week, Sunjic was a force offensively. Across the week, she recorded double-digit kills in all four matches, posted at least 16 kills three times, and hit at least .400 three times, as well. Sunjic hit a staggering .402 with a total of 61 kills (3.59 kills/set), while also registering 72.0 points. The native of Metkovic, Croatia hit .652 (16-1-23) at Eastern Illinois, .486 (18-1-35) vs. Louisiana Tech, .400 (10-2-20) versus Marshall, and .224 (17-6-49) against Drake.

BGSU MATCHES LAST SEASON'S WIN TOTAL WITH VALPARAISO SWEEP
The Orange and Brown picked up its seventh win of the 2016 season with a 3-0 victory over Valparaiso on Sept. 13 inside of the Stroh Center. With the win, the Falcons have already matched their total from the 2015 campaign. The win for BGSU was also its fourth straight, and marked the fourth time this season that the Falcons have swept an opponent. After dominating the opening set, 25-8, BGSU took the second set, 25-23, and the third set by a score of 25-21 to secure the sweep.

SEVEN-FOR-SEVEN FOR NUMBER SEVEN
Sophomore outside hitter Isabel Kovacic, who wears No. 7, had quite the third set in a Sept. 3 victory over Northern Kentucky. She hit a perfect 1.000, as she notched seven kills on seven attempts to secure the sweep for the Falcons. Kovacic hit .632 (12-0-19) for the match, and also added eight kills in the Sept. 2 victory over Fort Wayne. The Littleton, Colorado native is averaging 3.29 kills/set, and is hitting .283 for the season.

TOMIC ASSEMBLES NEW STAFF FOR 2016
Danijela Tomic is in her fifth year at the helm of the program. She owns a 51-62 record at BGSU, and a 209-133 (11 seasons) overall record as a head coach. She guided the Falcons to a MAC Tournament title and a win in the NCAA Tournament in her first year at BGSU in 2012. Tomic has assembled a completely new staff for the 2016 season. Alex DelPiombo and Efrain Negron join the program as assistant coaches, while Evan Atal begins his first season as the director of operations. DelPiombo was recently an assistant at Samford, while Negron was the volunteer assistant at Appalachian State in 2015.

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

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