CHICAGO, Ill. – The Bowling Green State University volleyball team will continue play within the NIVC, heading to Chicago, Ill. to take on DePaul. The Falcons and Blue Demons are scheduled for an 8 p.m. EST start on Monday (Dec. 9) with the winner advancing to the Fab Four. The two teams will be meeting for the second time this season with BGSU claiming the first match on Sept. 14. Monday's matchup will be available to stream on YouTube. 

First Serve 

• The Falcons are competing in the NIVC for the first time since the 2019 season and for the sixth time in program history, holding a 9-6 record in the tournament after wins over Binghamton and Wright State in the first two rounds. 
• Bowling Green and DePaul have met six times in program history, including once earlier this season. The all-time series is tied 3-3, but the Falcons won the matchup this year, 3-1, on Sept. 14.
• The winner of Monday's match between Bowling Green and DePaul will advance to the Fab Four of the NIVC
• In total, Bowling Green has won 23 matches this season, the most under head coach Danijela Tomic. This marks just the eighth time in program history the Falcons have won at least 23 matches in a single season. 
• The wins over Binghamton and Wright State marked the first time in the Tomic Era that BGSU has won multiple postseason matches in the same season and the third all-time. All three times have come in the NIVC, including a runner-up placing in 1992 to Washington State following five wins. 
• As a team, the Falcons hit .303 over their first two NIVC matches, raising the team's hitting percentage for the season to .252. Bowling Green is now ranked 44th in the nation for the stat.
• Bowling Green tallied eight blocks in each of their first two NIVC matches, giving the team 302 blocks this season. The mark ranks 23rd in the nation. 
• Alexis Mettille has maintained a .437 hitting percentage this season, ranking seventh in the nation. Mettille is on pace to not only break the program record for single-season hitting percentage, but could become the first Falcon ever to hit over .400 in a season.
• Lauryn Hovey has 53 aces this season and could break the Rally Scoring Era record for aces in a season, which she set last year with 59. 

Defending Against The Demons
Since the last meeting between Bowling Green and DePaul, the Blue Demons have posted a record of 15-10. In the Big East Tournament, the Blue Demons topped St. John's 3-0 in their first match, but came up short to Creighton, 3-0, in the second. As for the NIVC, DePaul has played both of their matches at home. They began by hosting Toledo on Dec. 5, defeating the Rockets in straight sets. DePaul then advanced to take on Omaha on Dec. 6. Against the Mavericks, the Blue Demons overcame a 26-24 third set loss and 2-1 deficit to win in five sets, taking the fourth 25-20 and the fifth 15-13. 

BGSU v. DePaul, All-Time
The Falcons and Blue Demons have met just six times in program history, but one of those six meetings came earlier this season. Bowling Green defeated DePaul during the DePaul/UIC Invitational on Sept. 14, winning in four sets. The win marked the third-straight for the Falcons in the series, including a 3-1 win in 2022 as well. In the meeting earlier this season, the Falcons were led by Lauryn Hovey who landed 17 kills and added seven digs, leading the team in both categories. Jessica Andrews added a near double-double, logging 11 kills and nine blocks in the match. 

Postseason Success
The Falcons bested Binghamton and Wright State in the first two rounds of the NIVC, winning both matches in four sets. The two wins mark the first time under head coach Danijela Tomic that the Falcons have won multiple postseason matches in the same season and the third time in program history. The Falcons won two matches in the 1993 NIVC, beating Siena and Kansas. However, in 1992 Bowling Green won five matches in the NIVC, being the runner up to Washington State that season. 

Winning Ways For 2024 Falcons
With the pair of NIVC wins, the Falcons have now won 23 matches this season, the most during the Tomic Era of BGVB. The total surpassed three 22-win seasons, coming in 2012, 2020-21 and 2022, which are the three NCAA Tournament appearances under Tomic. Overall, BGSU has won 23 or more matches eight times in program history, including a program record 30 matches in 1992. Additionally, the Falcons now have 10 home wins this year, marking the fifth time in the last six seasons with 10 or more home wins. The only season that fell short in that stretch was last year, finishing with nine home wins. 

Mettille On Pace For Two Records
Alexis Mettille has been one of the most efficient players on the attack this season. Mettille's .437 hitting percentage ranks seventh in the nation and is on pace to break the Falcons' program record for hitting percentage in a season. No player in BGSU Volleyball history has hit over .400 in a season with the record currently belonging to Tammy Schiller's .393 season in 1991. The season for Mettille has pushed her career hitting percentage to .366, which would break that record as well. Currently, the career record is held by Schiller's .344 mark from 1988-91. 

Hovey Aces In The Record Book
Lauryn Hovey has landed 53 aces this season for the Falcons. In program history, 50 aces has been reached in a season just six times with Hovey being one of two players to do it twice, being joined by Holli Costein. However, Hovey is the first Falcon to have 50+ aces in consecutive seasons with Costein's marks coming in 1990 and 1992. Last year, Hovey landed 59 aces, second in program history behind only Jessica Andrasko's 79 in 1993. For her career, Hovey has 138 aces, currently sixth in program history, trailing Andrasko's 139 for the top five and Linda Popovich's 190 for the all-time program record. 

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'