MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University volleyball team continued their winning ways on Saturday (Oct. 4) with a 3-0 sweep over Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant. The Chippewas kept each set close with all three settled by three points or fewer, but the Falcons were able to stay in front for the win. For Bowling Green, the win gives them a 4-0 start in MAC play for the fifth time in the last six seasons while also going down as the program's 400th MAC win all-time. Winners in eight of their last nine, BGSU will now transition to a midweek contest against Toledo, who is also undefeated in MAC play, on Tuesday (Oct. 7). 

How It Happened
Set 1: Bowling Green 25, Central Michigan 22

• Central Michigan began the match with a pair of points, but the Falcons answered with a 3-0 run, jumping out to a 3-2 advantage.
• The Chippewas worked to tie it up at 3-3 with the tie carrying to each point up to an 8-8 score, but a 3-0 run for CMU pushed them to a 10-8 lead.
• Bowling Green landed a point, but another pair of CMU tallies made it a 5-1 stretch, building a 12-9 lead for the Chippewas.
• The Falcons were able to respond with a 3-0 run to knot the score back up at 12-12. The back-and-forth resumed with the tie moving to 13-13 and 14-14 before the media timeout with the score at 15-14 in favor of BGSU.
• The point trading continued after the break with the ties picking back up at 15-15 and 16-16 before consecutive points for the Falcons built an 18-16 lead.
• The two-point cushion proved pivotal as the back-and-forth resumed from there with the teams trading points to a 20-18 score, however, back-to-back CMU points tied it up again at 20-20.
• The tie extended to 21-21, but another pair of points for the Falcons created a 23-21 BGSU advantage with a CMU timeout.
• Central Michigan registered the first point out of the timeout, but kills from Amanda Otten and Helen Wilford sealed the set for the Falcons. 

Set 2: Bowling Green 25, Central Michigan 23

• Like the first set, Central Michigan began with a 2-0 lead, this time reaching a 3-0 advantage before the first BGSU point of the set, being a kill from Edyta Waclawczyk for a 3-1 score.
• CMU tallied a point, but a 3-0 run for the Falcons followed to tie the score up at 4-4. The ties continued at 5-5 and 6-6, but a 5-0 burst for Central Michigan put them in front, 10-6.
• The Falcons fought back with a pair of points, including an ace from Kendall Williams, cutting the lead down to 10-8 with CMU taking a timeout.
• A point for the Falcons after the timeout made it a 3-0 BGSU run with the lead down to one, 10-9. However, consecutive points for CMU pushed their advantage back to 12-9.
• Bowling Green regrouped for another run, making it a 4-0 span, including an ace from Otten, to move in front with a 13-12 lead.
• The back-and-forth continued with Central Michigan tallying a 3-0 run to reclaim the lead, 15-13. From there, the teams switched to trading points with the score moving to 17-15.
• Bowling Green ended the back-and-forth with a 3-0 run, tying the score before taking the lead with an 18-17 edge after an ace from Anastasija Bozic.
• Central Michigan worked to tie the score at 18-18, but another pair of Falcon points made it a 5-1 Bowling Green stretch for a 20-18 lead.
• The Chippewas again fought back to tie the score, knotting it up at 21-21, moving to 22-22, but a CMU lead at 23-22 prompted a Bowling Green timeout.
• The timeout worked to perfection for BGSU with the Falcons logging a 3-0 run after the break to claim the second set, 25-23.

Set 3: Bowling Green 25, Central Michigan 23

• Bowling Green opened the third set with a pair of points, rolling into a 3-1 advantage, but Central Michigan worked to record a 3-0 run in the early going to take a 4-3 lead.
• The Falcons were able to tie the score at 4-4 as well as 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9. Avery Hobson broke the string of ties with back-to-back aces for an 11-9 BGSU lead and Central Michigan timeout.
• The back-and-forth resumed after the timeout with the score extending to 14-12, but a 3-0 run for the Chippewas pushed CMU to a 15-14 lead.
• The Falcons answered with a two-point burst to reclaim the lead, 16-15. Central Michigan tied it at 16-16, but a 3-0 run for the Orange and Brown, including an ace from Otten, made it a 19-16 lead with the Chippewas taking a timeout.
• Central Michigan worked to keep pace with the Falcons, pulling within a point a few times before tying it up at 22-22 with a Bowling Green timeout.
• Central Michigan inched in front, 23-22 after the timeout, but the Falcons battled back with a 3-0 run to take the set and the match.

Falcon Stat Leaders
Kills: Avery Hobson (11)
Assists: Amanda Otten (24)
Digs: Sydnie Hernandez (11)
Aces: Avery Hobson, Amanda Otten (2)
Blocks: Helen Wilford, Kendall Williams (3)

Falcon Stat Facts

• With the win, the Falcons have now reached 400 MAC wins as a program, joining Western Michigan, Ball State and Miami (OH) in the accomplishment all-time.
• The win extends Bowling Green's MAC regular season road winning streak to 13 matches, dating back to Nov. 3, 2023. As for this season, the Falcons have now won five straight as well as eight of their last nine. 
• The Orange and Brown are now 4-0 in MAC play, giving the Falcons a 4-0 start to the conference schedule for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The win also keeps the Falcons undefeated when playing on Saturday this season with a record of 4-0.
• Amanda Otten just missed a double-double for the Falcons, recording a team-high 24 assists to go along with nine digs, just one shy of double-digits. Otten added five kills and a block while also tying for the team lead in aces with a pair. 
• Avery Hobson once again led the Bowling Green attack, landing a team-high 11 kills for the Orange and Brown while also tying for the team lead in aces with two. 
• Jessica Andrews posted another efficient match on the attack, landing eight kills, second on the team, while maintaining a .500 hitting percentage. Edyta Waclawczyk rounded out the attack with five kills for the Orange and Brown.
• Sydnie Hernandez led BGSU in digs with 11 and added six assists. Avery Anders added six digs while Anastasija Bozic totaled three to go with three assists, a kill and an ace.
• For the second straight match, Helen Wilford and Kendall Williams tied for the team lead in blocks, each with three total. Williams' all came as block assists while Wilford added one solo and two block assists.

Up Next
Bowling Green will remain on the road for a non-conference midweek match against Toledo on Tuesday (Oct. 7) with a 6 p.m. first serve. From there, BGSU will be back at home next week to host Northern Illinois on both Thursday (Oct. 9) and Friday (Oct. 10). 

Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons volleyball team on social media
Twitter - @BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUVolleyball
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsuvolleyball'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics' and 'Bowling Green State University Volleyball'
TikTok - @bgsuvolleyball 
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'