Volleyball to Round Out Non-Conference Play at VCU Invitational

>>FALCONS RETURN TO THE ROAD FOR FINAL NON-CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Bowling Green will complete both non-conference and tournament action this weekend as they travel to Richmond, Va. to compete in the VCU Invitational. The Falcons will first face the host-school on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., before playing in a doubleheader against Northwestern (10:30 a.m.) and Seton Hall (4:30 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 16.

>>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 RAMS (10-2, 0-0 A-10)
First up for the Falcons will be host-school Virginia Commonwealth on Friday (Sept. 15) at 7 p.m. The Rams are currently riding a seven-match win streak, and last lost to Notre Dame 3-1 on Sept. 1 in the BGSU/Toledo Invitational. All-time Bowling Green holds a 1-0 record over the Rams, a win in which they earned last season by a 3-0 sweep in the Hampton Inn Invitational Aug. 26.

By totaling 115 kills through 42 sets played this season, senior Alica Kandler tops the Rams offensively, while sophomores Vicky Giommarini and Dajah Ard each mark 17 service aces thus far. Defensively, libero senior Rebekah Strange averages 4.59 digs per set with 179, while at the net, sophomore Jasmin Sneed has jumped for 66 total blocks.

>>SCOUTING THE WILDCATS (8-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
In their first match of Saturday's doubleheader, the Falcons will take on Northwestern, who is also riding a seven-match win streak dating back to Aug. 26. The Wildcats' lone loss came on Aug. 26 in a 3-2 final against LSU in the USF Invitational. Northwestern holds the all-time advantage over Bowling Green by a 3-1 mark.

Offensively, senior Symone Abbott leads the Wildcats with 137 kills through 31 sets played, while sophomore Sarah Johnson has already accumulated 12 service aces. Johnson also leads the team with 103 digs thus far, averaging 3.22 per set. A defensive leader, senior Gabrielle Hazen has totaled 40.0 blocks, averaging 1.25 per set.

>>SCOUTING THE PIRATES (6-4, 0-0 Big East)
To round out the VCU Invitational, the Falcons will take on Seton Hall at 4:30 p.m. Saturday evening (Sept. 16). The Pirates are on a two-match losing streak, and were most recently swept by Hofstra on Sept. 12. This will be the first time the Falcons will face off with Seton Hall in program history.

With 155 kills, junior Abby Thelen tops the Pirates offense, averaging 3.88 kills per set. Additionally, freshman Amanda Rachwal has notched seven service aces thus far in the season, while senior Sarah Kenneweg has tallied 128 digs for 3.20 digs per set. At the net, sophomore Haylee Gasser has hopped for 45 total blocks on the year.

>>SIGHTS SET ON SEIMET
After returning to the starting libero position this season, junior Kallie Seimet has been recognized as Mid-American Conference East Division Defensive Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks. The Oregon, Ohio native has tallied 20-plus digs in six of eight matches thus far in the season, and set a new career-high mark with 36 digs in the 3-2 victory over Northern Kentucky (Sept. 9).

>>ASKIN FOR DOUBLE-DOUBLES
After recording a double-double in her first collegiate match, freshman Jacqueline Askin has marked three thus far in the season. Three double-doubles lead the Falcon squad, while Askin's 18-kill performance against Sacramento State (Sept. 8) is also a team high.

>>IACOBELLI ACES
Twin sisters Paulina and Victoria Iacobelli are forces at the line for the Falcons, and account for over 25 percent of the team's service aces on the year. Paulina carries seven aces and 47 digs, while Victoria has tallied six aces paired with 59 digs through eight matches played.

>>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 699-580-3 (.547), including an overall MAC record of 283-252 (.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).

>>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.

>>BGSU SET TO HOST 13 MATCHES FOR 2017 CAMPAIGN
Not only will the Falcons host back-to-back tournaments inside of the Stroh Center to open the 2017 season, but Bowling Green is set to host 13 home matches in total. After playing three matches in the Hampton Inn Invitational (Aug. 25-26) and two matches in the BGSU Invitational (Sept. 1-2), the Falcons will head directly into Mid-American Conference action versus Northern Illinois (Sept. 23) at home.

>>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. Freshmen are a significant component of the Falcons offense, including rookie Jacqueline Askin, who tallies a match-high for the team in kill with 18 against Sacramento State (Sept. 8).

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Jacqueline Askin

Victoria Iacobelli

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