Volleyball Stage Set for Pair of Conference Matchups

Friday, October 13

Stroh Center

5:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Eastern Michigan

October 10, 2017 | Volleyball

By: Jenna Jorgensen (Assistant Director of Athletic Communications)

>>FALCONS TOP THE CONFERENCE WITH FIVE-MATCH WIN STREAK
The Bowling Green volleyball team is currently on a five-match win streak, the longest since Oct. 1-15, 2016, as they round out a four-match home stand. This weekend, the MAC-leading Falcons host Eastern Michigan on Friday, Oct. 13, followed by Central Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 14 for homecoming. Both matches will also be broadcast on ESPN3 for fans unable to attend.

>>SATURDAY'S PROMOTIONS

Coach Tomic and the Bowling Green volleyball staff will be hosting Chalk Talk in the Stroh Center classroom for all season ticket holders, beginning at 6:15 p.m.
Sport pink for PINK NIGHT at the Stroh Center in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Present an Oct. 13 hockey ticket or Oct. 14 football ticket for FREE admission to the 7 p.m. volleyball match against Central Michigan.

>>FOLLOW THE FALCONS
The Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization (BGRSO) will be broadcasting all BGSU matches at http://www.bgrso.net/falcon-radio.html. Additionally, all matches will have live stats, which can be found at www.BGSUFalcons.com. Fans are also encouraged to follow BGSU volleyball on Twitter at @BGSUVolleyball for in-match updates.

>>SCOUTING THE EAGLES (10-12, 2-4 MAC)
The Eastern Michigan Eagles are off to a 10-12 start overall and are 2-4 in MAC play, including 3-0 and 3-2 wins over Toledo and Northern Illinois, respectively. The Eagles are currently on a three-match losing streak, heading into the match against the Falcons at the Stroh Center.

With 225 kills, freshman Franki Streffling and junior Jordan Smith lead the Eagles offensively this season, while Smith's 28 service aces tops the team. At the net, senior Kelly Ferguson has tallied 93.0 total blocks for 1.12 blocks per set average. Although four players mark 200+ digs on the season, junior libero Alyssa LaFace leads the team defensively with 4.95 digs per set.

>>SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS (10-8, 2-4 MAC)
In the process of gaining a 10-8 record this season, the Central Michigan Chippewas have gone 2-4 in conference competition, with its wins coming in 3-2 victories over Toledo and Eastern Michigan. Prior to facing the Falcons, Central Michigan will travel to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami.

Leading the Chippewas with 281 kills for a 4.19 kills per set average is Jordan Bueter. A standout player, Bueter also tops the team with 26 service aces, in addition to posting 0.42 blocks per set. Defensively, Megan Kern leads the Central Michigan squad with 253 total digs to average 3.78 digs per set.

>>SIGHTS ON SEIMET
After returning to the starting libero position this season, junior Kallie Seimet has been recognized as MAC Defensive Player of the Week for the East Division in five of the season's seven weeks thus far. Seimet's five Player of the Week nods ties Madeline Garda's five in a season in 2016, while the program record is six in a single season by a single player (Caty Rommeck, 2000). The Oregon, Ohio native has tallied 20-plus digs in 13 of 17 matches thus far in the season, and set a new career-high mark with 45 digs in the MAC opener at Miami (Sept. 21). With 29 digs at Ohio (Sept. 30), Seimet surpassed 1,200 career digs, and now tallies 1,260 over her three seasons, which ranks seventh overall in Bowling Green volleyball program history.

Seimet now leads the nation with 6.73 digs per set in all of Division I women's volleyball, with the next closest player at 6.27 digs per set (Ryann DeJarld, Notre Dame). Seimet also sits second in the nation with 451 total digs, just shy of Courtney Pence's (Illinois State) 473. The 451 digs thus far in 2017 nears her season-high of 491 set in her freshman season (2015).

>>DOUBLE TROUBLE
In a successful weekend at the net, sophomore setter Isabelle Marciniak marked her fifth consecutive double-double match when she posted 42 assists and 13 digs at Ohio (Sept. 30). After earning her first double-double with 47 assists and 14 digs versus UIC (Aug. 25), Marciniak now leads the team with seven double-doubles on the season.

>>STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Freshman Katie Kidwell is making an early impact with the Falcons defense, as she leads the team with 73 total blocks on the season to average 1.11 blocks per set in addition to leading the team with an error-free serve receive. Against Ohio and Kent State, the Watseka, Ill. native posted 15 total blocks, including a career-high of 11 in the 3-1 win at Kent State (Sept. 29), earning her first career MAC Defensive Player of the Week honor.

At the line, sophomore Paulina Iacobelli tallied a career-best five service aces in the 3-1 win at Ohio (Sept. 30), which marked the Falcons first road win at Ohio since Nov. 10, 2001. Since then, Iacobelli has tallied another ace to mark a team-leading 14 on the season to average 0.25 service aces per set.

>>FALCONS BEGIN 42ND YEAR OF VARSITY VOLLEYBALL
Bowling Green State University volleyball dates back to 1967, when the program started as a club team. In 1976, BGSU started competing at the varsity level. The Falcons have racked up a program record of 705-583-3 (.547), including an overall MAC record of 288-253 (.529). The Orange and Brown last won the MAC Tournament and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2012 – Danijela Tomic's first year at the helm of the program. The Falcons have won two MAC Tournament titles (2012, 1991), two East Division titles (2001, 2000), and have won the MAC regular-season title three times (1992, 1991, 1989).

>>ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM TIMES-TWO
Junior Madeline Brandewie was named to an All-Tournament Team for the second time this season when she marked a team-high of 15 kills while hitting .306 in the Falcons comeback victory over Seton Hall in the VCU Invitational. The 15 kills were a new season-high for the junior, while on the weekend she posted a strong .233 attack. Brandewie was also named to the BGSU/Toledo Invitational All-Tournament Team earlier this season for her offensive efforts, and was the only Falcon to be named to two all-tournament teams this season.

>>TOMIC'S STAFF FOR 2017
Danijela Tomic enters her sixth year at the helm of the program. 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 returns assistant coach Alex DelPiombo for a second season, while Alison Cooke joins the program for her first season as an assistant coach for the Falcons. Evan Antal begins his second season as the director of operations. Cooke was previously the volunteer assistant at Duke University since March 2015. The Falcons are also assisted by first-year volunteer assistant coach Andrew Sydow, who was a men's volleyball student-athlete at Mount Olive.

>>ORANGE AND BROWN BOOST A YOUNG AND EXPERIENCED ROSTER
The Falcons return 11 players from the successful 2016 season, which includes just one senior on the 15-member roster. Joining senior outside hitter Nicole Slimko on the court this season will be four juniors, six sophomores and four freshmen.