Ziggyville Population: 272
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University volleyball team took on the Illinois Fighting Illini in their second match of the Best Western Invitational on Saturday (Aug. 31) at the Stroh Center. The Falcons played a closely contested match with the Illini, holding the Illinois' attack to a hitting percentage of .184. Illinois came out on top of the 3-0 final, moving Bowling Green to 1-1 on the season with one more match to play this weekend. 

How It Happened 
Set 1: Illinois 25, Bowling Green 19

• Bowling Green and Illinois battled in the early going before a 3-0 run for the Illini pushed their lead to 9-4, forcing a BGSU timeout.
• Out of the timeout, the Falcons worked to chip away at the Illinois advantage. An ace from Lauryn Hovey pulled Bowling Green within three at 16-13, forcing an Illini timeout.
• The two teams continued trading points until Illinois logged back-to-back to force the second Bowling Green timeout of the set with BGSU trailing 22-17.
• The Falcons registered two points out of the timeout to draw the score to 22-19, but a 3-0 run for Illinois closed out the set, 25-19.

Set 2: Illinois 25, Bowling Green 18

• Illinois tallied the first two points of the set, but a 3-0 BGSU burst granted the Falcons a 3-2 lead before Illinois tied it up at 4-4.
• Later in the set, a 4-0 run for the Illini built a 10-5 advantage with Bowling Green taking a timeout to pause the action.
• Bowling Green landed the next two points out of the timeout and put together a 4-1 stretch to cut the lead down to 11-9.
• Like the first set, the two teams began trading points before back-to-back for Illinois forced a BGSU timeout with the score at 19-14.
• The Falcons were able to log back-to-back kills to bring the score to 20-17, but a 4-0 run rebuilt the lead for Illinois before taking the set, 25-18.

Set 3: Illinois 25, Bowling Green 21

• The Falcons tallied the first two points of the set, but a 4-0 run for Illinois pushed them in front 4-2. 
• Bowling Green worked away at the Illinois lead before utilizing a 4-0 run, highlighted by two Jordan Newblatt aces, to move in front 10-9. 
• After the BGSU lead, Illinois fought back with a 3-0 run of their own, swinging the score back in their favor at 12-10 with Bowling Green taking a timeout. 
• Coming out of the timeout, BGSU tallied two consecutive points to tie it back up at 12-12, keeping the ties at 13-13 and 14-14.
• A 3-0 run led the to 14-14 tie and into a 16-14 Bowling Green lead, capped off by back-to-back solo blocks for Alexis Mettille.
• Illinois put together a 4-0 run to move back in front, 20-18, with BGSU taking their second timeout.
• The Falcons stayed within one at 21-20 and 22-21, but a 3-0 run for Illinois closed the match with a 25-21 set score. 

Falcon Stat Leaders 
Kills: Mia Tyler (11)
Assists: Amanda Otten (24)
Digs: Lindsey LaPinta (12)
Aces: Jordan Newblatt (3)
Blocks: Alexis Mettille (3)

Falcon Stat Facts

• Lauryn Hovey just missed a double-double, finishing the match with nine kills and 10 digs, both concluding second on the team for the Falcons. 
• For the second straight match, Jessica Andrews logged three digs for the Falcons, matching her career-high with the Falcons. 
• Jordan Newblatt landed her first three aces with BGSU in the match, coming just one shy of her career high at the collegiate level. 
• After logging 23 assists in the first match of the season, Amanda Otten added 24 against Illinois, one shy of her career high. 

Up Next
The Best Western Invitational will conclude on Sunday (Sept. 1) with BGSU taking on Cincinnati with a 1 p.m. start and a "Paint the Town Brown" theme. 

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'