MAC CHAMPS! Falcons Clinch Share Of MAC Title In Five-Set Thriller

Friday, March 19

Bowling Green, Ohio

6:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Akron

Photo by: Isaiah Vazquez/BGSU Athletics

MAC CHAMPS! Falcons Clinch Share Of MAC Title In Five-Set Thriller

March 19, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: by Kyle Edmond, BGSU Athletics

Bowling Green, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University volleyball program clinched at least a share of the MAC Regular Season Championship while securing the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament on Friday night (March 19) with a 3-2 win over Akron, advancing to 17-0. After failing down 2-1 on the scoreboard, the Falcons battled in the fourth set to force a fifth where they clinched the victory. The win now marks the third time in the last four seasons that the Falcons have been able to snag at least a share of the MAC Regular Season Championship. The win also ties the program's record for most consecutive wins at 17, matching the streak set by the 2006 team. The Falcons and Zips will be back tomorrow (March 20) for a 5 p.m. start with the match being broadcasted on ESPN+.

Set Scores (Box Score PDF)
Set 1 - Bowling Green 25, Akron 17
Set 2 - Akron 25, Bowling Green 19
Set 3 - Akron 25, Bowling Green 14
Set 4 - Bowling Green 25, Akron 18
Set 5 - Bowling Green 15, Akron 13

Play-By-Play Notes

In the first set, the Falcons were able to use an early 5-0 run to take a 7-4 lead, but Akron battled back with a 5-0 run of their own to take a 12-11 lead.
Out of a timeout the Falcons would soon see another 5-0 run to reclaim the lead at 17-13 before Akron used their second timeout.
The momentum carried through the set for the Falcons as the run stretched as far as 10-1, concluding with a set win at 25-17 for BGSU.
Akron came out strong in the second set seeing Bowling Green use both of their timeouts before the score reached 13-7 in favor of the Zips.
Bowling Green would chip away at the lead with the next stoppage coming from an Akron timeout with the score at 18-16 Zips and in the midst of a 3-0 run for the Orange and Brown.
The late effort wouldn't be enough as Akron would take the second set at 25-19.
The third set began close as well with a 4-0 run by Akron prompting the first stoppage via Bowling Green timeout at 10-7.
Akron would use that burst to take the third set 25-14.
The fourth set saw the two teams trade leads and ties before a 3-0 run by the Falcons brought the score to 15-13 for the media timeout.
The run would be enough to spark the Falcons, leading to a 25-18 set score to force a fifth.
In the fifth set, the Falcons jumped out to a 10-6 lead, but Akron battled back late to tie it up before Bowling Green was able to clinch the win and the MAC Regular Season Championship.

Falcon Stat Facts

With the win, the Falcons advanced to 17-0 and clinched a share of the MAC Regular Season title as well as the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament. With just one more win, Bowling Green would become outright champions of the regular season.
Additionally, the 17-match win streak ties the program record at 17 consecutive wins, matching the total set by the 2006 team.
Petra Indrova led the way for the Falcons in kills with 20 to match her season-high. Indrova also added a career-high 19 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.
Coming in as Bowling Green's libero in the third set, Yelianiz Torres tallied a career-high 29 digs on the night, nearly tripling her previous career-high that was set at 10. Torres also landed her first two kills of the season as well as having three assists and her first ace of the year.
Playing as the Falcons' setter for the match, Jaden Walz registered a career-high 44 assists as well as her first career ace.
With a team-high four career block assists, Katie Kidwell moved her career block total to 470, gaining sole possession of fifth in the program's record book.

Coach Tomic's Take

Up Next

The Falcons' next two matches will be at home as they conclude their series with Akron on Saturday (March 20) followed by the second leg of the Battle of I-75 on Tuesday (March 23). The match against Akron will begin at 5 p.m. while Tuesday will have a 6 p.m. start.

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