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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Defense Leads Way For Falcon Victory
October 18, 2003 | Volleyball
Oct. 18, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University volleyball team went 2-0 over the weekend, with a four-game victory over Northern Illinois (30-25, 22-30, 30-28, 30-25) Saturday night at Anderson Arena. The Falcons had a season-best 85 digs and 12 blocks in the match.
In game one Bowling Green ran out to an early 12-5 lead, capped by a Nadia Bedricky kill to force an NIU timeout. Following the timeout, the Huskies put together a 16-9 run to tie the score at 21. The Falcons went on a 6-3 run to take a commanding lead, capturing game one 30-25. In game one alone, freshman Chrissy Gothke had 10 of her team-leading 26 digs.
With BGSU trailing 9-8 in game two, Northern Illinois went on a 13-4 run to take a 22-12 lead. The Brown & Orange answered back with a 6-0 run to get within four at 22-18, before NIU close out the match with another large run, winning game two, 30-22.
Both teams exchanged early leads to knot the score at 14. With three straight NIU attack errors, a Bedricky kill and an Amber Mareski ace, gave BGSU a 19-14 cushion. The Falcons cruised to get to point 29, leading 29-25, before NIU scored the next three points to force a Bowling Green timeout. Out of the huddle the Falcons went directly to their kill leader, Taylor Twite, who pounded home point 30 for a 30-28 game three win.
Bowling Green trailed 7-5 early in game four, but following kills by senior Samantha Rennau, BGSU took a 9-7 lead and never trailed again. The Falcons largest lead came at 19-12 after a Susie Norris kill, allowing NIU to get no closer then four at 23-19. Junior Melissa Mohr ended the match with a kill along the right side to capture game four 30-25.
"I'm thrilled for our first sweep of the year," said head coach Denise Van De Walle. "I think we beat a real good team tonight."
For the match four Falcons had double digit kills. Twite led the team with 15, Bedricky had a season-best 14, and Rennau and Norris chipped in with 13 and 11.
Defensively the Falcons had their best match of the season. "We knew Lobdell was a big-time player, but we neutralized her all night with our great defense all night" said coach Van de Walle. "We blocked 12 balls tonight, I can't tell you the last time we did that."
Mohr had team-high three solo blocks as well as four block-assists. Mareski and Bedricky each posted three block-assists and Twite had one solo and three assists.
Gothke once again led the team with 26 digs, but not far behind was Bedricky with 19 and Norris with 14 digs.
Bowling Green improves to 11-10 overall and 3-4 in MAC play, while Northern Illinois drops to 14-6 overall and 3-4 in the MAC. Up next for the Falcons is a trip to Eastern Michigan on October 24 and then to Central Michigan the following day.
