Friday’s MAC Volleyball Results
Bowling Green 3, Kent State 2
Eastern Michigan 3, Buffalo 2
Central Michigan 3, Akron 1
Miami 3, Northern Illinois 0
 
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
 
 
Bowling Green 3, Kent State 2
Box Score
 
Bowling Green, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University volleyball program was able to outlast Kent State for a second straight night, concluding with another five-set victory on Friday night (Feb. 26).

Now at 11-0 on the season, this edition of the Bowling Green volleyball program has recorded the second-best start in program history for both a season and MAC play. The best record to begin a season is set at 12-0 by the 2011 team, although none of the 12 were conference games. As for conference play, the 1992 season had a 13-0 start, although they were broken up by non-conference losses. 

As for all of BGSU Athletics, the 11-0 start is now the best across all sports over the last 10 seasons for the Falcons. With the win, the Falcons are just the third team in the nation to reach 11-0 so far this season with Texas and Kentucky being the only other two programs to do so. 

After missing a double-double by a single dig last night, Petra Indrova registered one tonight by the end of the first point of the third set. The double-double is the sixth of the season for Indrova through 11 matches. In total, Indrova landed a team-high and season-high 20 kills on a career-high 52 attacks along with 15 digs.

Hanna Laube tallied an incredible 64 assists over the five sets for an average of 12.8 assists per set on the night and a new career-high. She also landed two aces in the match, bringing her season total to eight, marking a new career-high for single season aces. 
For the third consecutive match, Julia Walz surpassed 20 digs, leading the team with 27 over the five sets, but she wasn't the only one. Taylor Haberland logged a career-high 21 digs in the contest for the Falcons. Alex Laboy also registered a career-high 10 digs. 

With three block assists on the night, Katie Kidwell totaled 12 over the series to bring her career block total to 445, giving her sole possession of sixth all-time in program history. Kidwell also posted a season-high 17 kills along with a season-high six digs as well. 
Joining in on the attack, Katrin Trebichavska was able to land 15 kills for the Falcons while Jacqueline Askin contributed 14, Katelyn Meyer with five, Madelynn Luebcke had four for a new career-high and Laube rounded out the list with two. 

After claiming the first set, the Falcons saw the Golden Flashes battle back to win the second and third. However, the Orange and Brown were able to force a fifth set and then clinch the win to advance to 11-0.
 
The Falcons are just the third team in the nation to reach 11-0 this year while also recording the best start to a season in BGSU Athletics over the last 10 years.
 
Bowling Green will be back in action next week when they travel to face Central Michigan for a two-match series set for March 4 and 5.
 


Eastern Michigan 3, Buffalo 2
Box Score
 
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball came from behind in impressive fashion to defeat the University at Buffalo in a five set (25-17, 27-29, 20-25, 25,-12, 15-11), Mid-American Conference thriller tonight, Feb. 26, inside the Convocation Center.

The win propelled Eastern (4-5, 4-5 MAC) to its fourth win of the young campaign, while the loss docks Buffalo (1-11, 1-11 MAC) to 10 games under .500 this season. 

Senior Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Buchanan) was strong in both aspects of the game as she finished the match with 24 kills and 23 digs, respectively, to pace all players in both categories. Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase (Toronto, Ontario-Michael Power St. Joseph Catholic) added nine kills and led all players with nine blocks (one solo, eight assisted). Sophomore Jayden Otto (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Praire Ridge) registered 47 assists on the afternoon.

On the defensive end, freshman Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern) dug out 21 balls, while junior Mackenzie Garis (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge) and sophomore Kamryn Stilwell (Parma, Ohio-Padua Franciscan) were able to add 12 and 11 digs, respectively.

The Eagles jumped out to a hot start, as they built a 10-4 lead in the first set. The team was able to maintain the hot start and a lead throughout the stanza, winning the first set 25-17.

After losing the first set, the Bulls took charge, scoring first and taking control of the second set. The Eagles never led until the team turned the tide making the score 23-22.  From there, the two teams traded points on hard-fought volleys, however, it was the Bulls came out victorious in the second set, 29-27.

In the third set, the Bulls continued to strike with power. Although the Eagles started with a 5-4 edge, Buffalo took over the set, taking the lead and never looking back. The Bulls finished third set off, 25-20.

Down two sets to one, the Eagles launched out to a 3-0 start in the fourth set, and completely changed the momentum. EMU soared from there as it never relinquished the advantage in the set. Redshirt freshman Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy) added energy to the squad with two kills off the bench. The Green and White won the fourth set convincingly, 25-12.

UB started the final set hot with as they jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Undeterred, Eastern fought its way back into the game and took a 13-9 lead after a 4-0 run. The Eagles built upon that momentum and won the set, 15-11, to capture the match 3-2.

Next up for Eastern, the Eagles will host the University of Toledo Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6 inside the Convocation Center. Action will begin 6 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.
 

 
Central Michigan 3, Akron 1
Box Score
 
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Savannah Thompson finished with 14 kills on Friday as the Central Michigan volleyball team defeated Akron in four sets in a Mid-American Conference match at McGuirk Arena.
 
The win gave the Chippewas a sweep of the two-match series with the Zips. CMU, which extended its win streak to four, is 7-5. Akron is 3-9.
 
Sierra Gray and Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez finished with 11 kills apiece, while freshman Elly Medendorp had a career-high seven kills on 11 swings for a .545 hitting percentage.
 
Thompson led the Chippewas with 24 digs, while setters Grace Butler and Kamryn Olson combined for 45 assists.
 
Medendorp made her second career start and is symbolic of how the season has evolved for the Chippewas, who played on Friday without three mainstays, Anna Erickson, Kendall Braate, and Megan Sivertsen, and is still adjusting to the loss for the season of top talent Kalina Smith.
 
The Chippewas finished with a .204 hitting percentage, their lowest in their last four matches, but still a good number. They also had 11 blocks, their second-highest total of the season.


 
Miami 3, Northern Illinois 0
Box Score
 
DEKALB, Ill.—The Miami University volleyball team captured a decisive 3-0 win in the second of a two-match series at Northern Illinois University on Friday night. The RedHawks notched 25-22, 25-21 and 25-15 wins in straight sets to move to 5-5 on the season, while the Huskies drop to 5-7.

Miami built a 15-10 lead in the first set. The Huskies closed within 15-14 but Miami was able to push ahead to a 22-17 with help from a senior Morgan Seaman service ace and kills by senior Sarah Wojick and junior Sophie Riemersma. NIU closed within two, 24-22, but a Riemersma kill cinched the first set for the RedHawks, 25-22.

Northern Illinois opened up a 5-1 lead in the second set, but Miami fired back with a 9-1 run— highlighted by four kills from Riemersma—to take a 10-6 lead. The Huskies got as close as three, but Miami took the second set, 25-21. The RedHawks hit a solid .424 in the set.

After an 11-11 tie in the third set, kills by freshman Maggie McCrary and Riemersma sparked a 14-4 RedHawk run to close out the third set to hand Miami the match with a 25-15 set three win. The RedHawks hit .310 in the third set.

Riemersma led all players with 14 kills, while hitting .367. She also tallied nine digs.

Seaman led all players with 45 assists and added seven digs, three kills, two blocks and a service ace to her line.

Senior Abigail Huser led all players with 12 digs and tallied two service aces.

Senior Avarie Powell notched nine kills and three blocks.

McCrary recorded eight kills and hit .545 for the match.

The RedHawks travel to Kent State for a pair of Thursday/Friday matches, facing the Golden Flashes at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 4 and 5 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 5.