Falcons Perfect At Home For First Time Since 1979

Wednesday, November 17

Bowling Green, OH

6:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

20-8,16-2MAC

Miami

7-21,5-13MAC

Miami (OH)

Bowling Green

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

November 17, 2021 | Volleyball

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By: by David Dietrich, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green Falcons volleyball team (20-8, 16-2) concluded the 2021 regular season with a four-set victory over the Miami (OH) Redhawks (7-21, 5-13). The win gives the Falcons a 10-0 record in home games, the program's first perfect home season since 1979. This also marks BGSU's third consecutive season with 20 or more wins.

How It Happened
Set 1: BGSU 27, Miami 25
The evening's opening set started close and remained close throughout, featuring ten ties and four lead changes. Neither team led by more than two before the media timeout, with ten of Bowling Green's 14 points coming on kills. During this stretch, six Falcons registered at least one kill. Miami gained the upper hand after the media break, building a 19-15 lead to force a BGSU timeout. After the timeout, Bowling Green scored three straight points behind two kills from Petra Indrova and a block by Indrova, Katie Kidwell, and Hanna Laube. The Falcon run extended after two blocks from Nikolija Katanic, forcing a Redhawks' timeout. Miami answered with a 3-0 run to take the lead, then the Falcons regained it after kills from Kat Mandly and Katelyn Meyer. After a Miami kill, Meyer landed another kill before a Redhawk attack error gave the Falcons a thrilling opening-set victory.

Set 2: BGSU 26, Miami 28
Miami rebounded to start the second set strong, building a 6-1 lead to force a BGSU timeout. Back-to-back kills from Indrova trimmed the Falcons' deficit to three, but Miami later answered with a 3-0 run to double their lead and force another timeout from the Falcons. The Orange and Brown rallied, cutting their deficit in half behind three kills from Mandly. After a Miami timeout, Katanic tallied another block before another Mandly kill, forcing the Redhawks to call another timeout. Indrova's kill pushed the set to extra points, but the Redhawks closed on a 3-0 run to win the second set.

Set 3: BGSU 25, Miami 21
The third set was similar to the second, but with a role reversal. The Falcons started fast, taking an 8-2 lead to force a timeout by Miami. Indrova tallied two aces and a kill during the run, with Julia Walz adding another ace. Back-to-back kills from Mandly extended the Falcon lead to eight points, but Miami began chipping away at the lead. A 4-0 run from the Redhawks made the score 14-11 in favor of BGSU, then the Falcons took a timeout. Miami's run continued after the break, scoring three more points to tie the set at 14-14. The teams traded kills for the next seven points, then BGSU went on a 5-2 run to force Miami timeout. Bowling Green reached set point on an ace from Hanna Laube before a Miami service error clinched a third-set victory for the Falcons.

Set 4: BGSU 25, Miami 22
The final set featured the most momentum swings, with 11 ties and six lead changes. The teams remained within one point of each other until the Redhawks broke a 6-6 tie with a 5-1 run. After Bowling Green's timeout, Miami maintained the lead for the next several points. Trailing by three, the Falcons were jumpstarted by a block from Kidwell and Indrova. The duo sparked a 6-2 run for the Orange and Brown, a streak that included an ace from Alex Laboy. Her serve was initially ruled out, but a passionate crowd of BGSU student-athletes convinced Head Coach Danijela Tomic to challenge the call, a move that proved to be successful. The Falcons gained the lead on a kill from Meyer, forcing a timeout from the Redhawks. Miami momentarily tied the set, but a pair of attack errors led to another timeout. Two more Miami attack errors and another ace from Laube put the Falcons at match point, but the Redhawks tallied two kills and a block to force a Falcon timeout. Bowling Green wasted no time in clinching the match, with Katelyn Meyer tallying her tenth kill of the night to give the Falcons the win.

Falcon Stat Leaders
Kills: Petra Indrova and Kat Mandly (16 each)
Assists: Hanna Laube (28)
Digs: Julia Walz (19)
Aces: Petra Indrova (3)
Blocks: Nikolija Katanic (2 solo blocks, 3 block assists); Petra Indrova and Katie Kidwell (5 block assists each)

Falcon Facts

Petra Indrova (7) and Kat Mandly (8) combined for 15 of Bowling Green's 17 kills in the second set.
Indrova was one block shy of her career-best, while Mandly was one kill away from her career-high.
Indrova, Mandly, and Katelyn Meyer all reached double-digits in kills. This is the second consecutive game the Falcons have had a trio of players with ten or more kills.
The victory clinched the Falcons' first perfect home season since 1979. That squad finished the season with a 6-0 home record and 14-12 overall record.

Coach Tomic's Take

Player Interview: Katie Kidwell

Up Next
The Falcons will play in the MAC Tournament Semifinals on Monday, Nov. 22. Bowling Green will face the winner of Sunday's match between Ohio and Northern Illinois, with the semifinal beginning at 7 p.m. All MAC Tournament matches will be held in Worthen Arena at Ball State University.

Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons volleyball team on social media.
Twitter - @BGAthletics and @BGSUVolleyball
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