BGSU Travels To Kent State And Ohio To Conclude Regular-Season Schedule

BGSU TRAVELS TO KENT STATE AND OHIO TO CONCLUDE REGULAR-SEASON ROAD SCHEDULE
The Falcons will play their final two regular-season road games this weekend, as BGSU travels to both Kent State (Nov. 4) and Ohio (Nov. 5). With just four games to go before the MAC Tournament, the Falcons will enter play this weekend with a 17-8 overall record. The Orange and Brown are 7-5 in Mid-American Conference play. Earlier in the season, BGSU lost to Ohio (Sept. 30), and the rebounded the next evening to defeat Kent State (Oct. 1). Both matches were played at home.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
The Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization (BGRSO) will be broadcasting both matches this weekend. To access the links to the broadcasts, visit the volleyball schedule page at BGSUFalcons.com. Additionally, both matches will have live stats. The Ohio match will be featured on ESPN3, while the Western Michigan match will be streamed, as well. Links to live stats and both video feeds can also be found at BGSUFalcons.com. Furthermore, fans are encouraged to follow BGSU Volleyball on Twitter at
@BGSUVolleyball for in-match updates.

SCOUTING THE KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES
After splitting last weekend's matches by defeating Buffalo (Oct. 29) and losing to Akron (Oct. 28), the Golden Flashes will enter Friday's (Nov. 4) match with a 13-12 (6-6 MAC) record. With Bowling Green and Kent State separated in the conference standings by only one game in both the win and loss column, it goes without saying that the match could go a long way in determining seeds at the MAC Tournament. KSU ranks in the top half in several team-based conference statistics, as the Golden Flashes rank fourth in kills (12.74/set) and digs (15.70), and fifth in opponent hitting percentage (.202), assists (12.00/set) and blocks (1.98/set). After taking the first set from the Falcons at the Stroh Center on Oct. 1, Kent State dropped the next three to suffer the 3-1 loss.

SCOUTING THE OHIO BOBCATS
Having won three-consecutive matches, the Bobcats own an overall record of 13-11. Ohio won at Buffalo and Akron last weekend, and knocked off Western Michigan the weekend prior. The Bobcats now sit in second place in the East Division with a 9-3 conference record. Ohio ranks second in the MAC in service aces (1.45/set), and third in both assists (12.24/set) and kills (13.01/set). The
Bobcats also sit fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.225). OU earned a 3-0 victory in Bowling Green on Sept. 30, and are the defending MAC Tournament champions. The Ohio offensive attack has been extremely prolific, as setter Stephanie Olman has set up the OU outside hitters all season. Olman ranks first in the conference in assists (10.96), and has a few nice weapons to get involved in Mallory Salis and Jaime Kosiorek, who rank third (3.49/set) and sixth (3.18/set) in the MAC in kills, respectively.

BGSU BEATS THE BRONCOS TO CLINCH MAC TOURNAMENT BERTH
After being swept on the road at Miami (Oct. 27) last Thursday, the Falcons salvaged the weekend and clinched a berth in the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2013 by sweeping Western Michigan on Oct. 29. Just a year after winning a total of seven games all last season, the win marked BGSU's seventh conference win of the year and the team's 17th win overall. Miami has now won 19 straight games, and although BGSU was swept in both matches this season, the Falcons scored at least 20 points in all six sets. In the WMU victory, seniors Madeline Garda (33 digs) and Jelena Sunjic (20 kills) led the way. The 3-0 victory over the Broncos marked BGSU's 12th sweep of the season.

FALCONS SIT TIED FOR FOURTH IN THE MAC WITH FOUR MATCHES TO GO
Bowling Green has missed out on the MAC Tournament in each of the past two seasons, but the Falcons, who have already clinched a conference tournament berth, are in a nice position heading into the final four games of the conference schedule. BGSU is tied for fourth with Toledo and Ball State, as the three schools each have identical 7-5 records. BGSU beat Toledo on Oct. 22 – just a day after losing to Ball State. Miami (12-0) and Northern Illinois (11-1) have virtually locked up the top two seeds, but the Falcons have a chance to surpass Ohio (9-3), especially if BGSU can beat the Bobcats this weekend. However, Kent State is in the mix, as well, as the Golden Flashes are 6-6 and host the Falcons this weekend.

THE BEST LIBERO IN THE LAND
Madeline Garda leads all of Division I volleyball in digs per set (6.62) and total digs (569). In Bowling Green's loss at Miami, Garda surpassed 1,500 career digs, and currently has 1,543 career digs, which ranks fourth all-time in school history. The senior leads the country in total digs by 20, even though the next closest competitor, Morganne Longoria of Valparaiso, has played 23 more sets than Garda. Below is the list of the top 5 liberos in the country, according to digs per set and total digs.

Digs Per Set
1. Madeline Garda (Bowling Green)   6.62
2. Taylor Austin (James Madison)   5.91
3. Cassie Wes (Columbia)   5.52
4. Lexus Cain (SFA)   5.41
5. Sasha Karelov (Duke)   5.40

Total Digs [Sets Played]
1. Madeline Garda (Bowling Green)   569 [86]
2. Morganne Longoria (Valparaiso)   549 [109]
3. Challen Geraghty (Kent State)   542 [102]
4. Arden Fisher (Robert Morris)   533 [108]
5. Taylor Austin (James Madison)   530 [99]

GARDA POSTS 21 DIGS IN A SINGLE SET EN ROUTE TO FIFTH WEEKLY HONOR OF 2016
For the fifth time this season, and for the third time in four weeks, senior libero Madeline Garda was named the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week on Monday (Oct. 31). Over the weekend, Garda posted 57 digs, and averaged 9.50 digs per set. In the loss at Miami (Oct. 27), she averaged 8.00 digs per set by registering 24 digs. In the victory over Western Michigan (Oct. 29), the senior had a night that she will never forget. She recorded 21 digs in the second set, and finished the match with a total of 33 digs. For the match, she averaged an unheard of 11.00 digs per set. Garda also picked up four assists in each match. She continues to lead the country in digs per set (6.62) and total digs (569).

SUNJIC EARNS MAC EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS…AGAIN
Senior outside hitter Jelena Sunjic was named the MAC East Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, the league office announced on Monday (Oct. 31). In the two matches, the senior combined to hit .368 with 38 kills. She tallied 40.5 points for the weekend. In the match against Miami (Oct. 27), Sunjic picked up her first double-double of the season, as she picked up 18 kills (6.00/set) and 11 digs. She hit .306 (18-3-49) for the match. In the win over Western Michigan (Oct. 29), she recorded her first 20-kill match of the season. The senior had 20 kills (6.66/set), and hit .447 (20-3-38). For the weekend, Sunjic averaged 6.33 kills per set. She continues to lead the MAC in kills per set (4.48).

I'LL TAKE A LARGE COFFEE, AND MAKE IT A DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Freshman setter Isabelle Marciniak has been playing some great volleyball following the injury of Katie Scholten. Heading into the Falcons' last match against Western Michigan, Marciniak had registered a double-double in consecutive games, and as it stands, she has notched a double-double in two of BGSU's last three games. As a team, the Falcons have just four double-doubles. In Bowling Green's match against Toledo on Oct. 22, the freshman posted 43 assists and 12 digs. In the match at Miami (Oct. 27), she picked up 26 assists and 10 digs. For the season, Marciniak 446 assists and 81 digs.

NO STROH, NO PROBLEM
Bowling Green played its first six games at the Stroh Center in 2016, but the Falcons have played their best volleyball on the road this season. BGSU is 7-6 in Bowling Green, but the Orange and Brown are a staggering 10-2 away from the Stroh Center, with the only losses coming to Miami and Northern Illinois (Sept. 24) -- both of which are a combined 23-1 in conference play this season. The Falcons are 6-2 in true road matches, and 4-0 in neutral site matches. In those 12 matches away from the Stroh Center this season, BGSU has lost just 11 sets.

BOWLING GREEN IS ALL ABOUT THAT #MACTION
The Falcons continue to lead a number of team-based statistical categories. BGSU leads the MAC as a team in opponent percentage (.179), assists (13.09/set), kills (13.98/set), aces (1.57/set) and digs (17.22/set). BGSU also sits third in hitting percentage (.255). Madeline Garda leads the nation and conference in digs per set at 6.62. Jelena Sunjic is tops in the MAC in kills at 4.48/set. Sunjic also ranks fourth in hitting percentage at .329, Katie Scholten ranks third in assists per set (10.65). Isabelle Marciniak sits fifth in assists (9.70).

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, LITERALLY
The Falcons entered conference play having won seven-straight matches, which was the program's longest winning streak since 2011. Bowling Green was playing about as perfect as you can possibly play, as BGSU, incredibly, entered the Miami (Sept. 22) match having won 13-conseuctive sets. Additionally, the Falcons had won their last four matches via the sweep. Since sets were played up to 25 points, which began in 2001, the Falcons have only won four-straight matches, with all four matches being sweeps, two other times (2006, 2011).

GARDA BREAKS PROGRAM'S SINGLE MATCH DIGS RECORD
Madeline Garda turned in the greatest week of libero play in BGSU volleyball history over Sept. 7-10. She totaled 118 digs, which averages out to be 6.94 digs/set and 29.5 digs/match. Her three matches at the EIU Panther Classic (Sept. 9-10) 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.

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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