Volleyball Beats BGSU 3-2 to Win Opening Tournament

Saturday, August 27

Bowling Green, OH

2:00 PM

University of Louisville

3-0

Bowling Green

1-2

Louisville

Bowling Green

August 27, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

McHenry Named MVP, Clark earns All-Tournament

By: Nancy Worley

Freshman Melanie McHenry had 15 kills to lead the University of Louisville to a 3-2 win over host Bowling Green State at the Hampton Inn Invitational in volleyball action Saturday afternoon in Bowling, Green, Ohio.

"What a battle," said Anne Kordes, UofL head coach. "We played three matches with three different lineups, not so much because we were still looking for what worked, but because we needed someone to step up and they did. It was a phenomenal weekend for our freshman Melanie McHenry. Everyone came after her and she kept swinging. Kali Eaken was back and set us through some tough stretches."

For the Cardinals (3-0) Jasmine Bennett and Janelle Jenkins each added and combined for three blocks. Tess Clark had 9 kills and five blocks. Clark was named All-Tournament and McHenry was named Tournament MVP. Morgan Miller came off the bench and had 13 kills. The Cards hit .282 and outblocked the Falcons 8-4. The Cards were plagued by 17 service errors but did land six aces, led by McHenry's four. BGSU was led by Jelena Sunjic's 17 kills and three blocks.

"I can't go without saying how well Morgan Miller played, coming off the bench for 13 kills after not even playing the first set. It really gave us a lift," said Kordes.

Buoyed by a boisterous BGSU crowd, the Falcons jumped out to a 9-2 lead on the Cardinals who hit just .129 to BGSU's .438. The score was 20-9 before the Cards even broke into double digits. UofL did have a little late flurry to get to 21-15 but could get no closer, falling 25-15.

In the second set, the Cards used a 5-0 run to go up 11-5. Cards built the lead to 15-6 but BGSU scrapped their way back to within five at 17-12. The teams traded points with the Cards inching toward set point at 23-17. BGSU managed one more point but the Cards won 25-18 to even the set score going into the break.

In the third set, the Cardinals hit .324 to BGSU's .156, although that did not stop the Falcons from keeping it close. Tied at 11, the Cardinals used blocking to slowly pull away at 18-15 sparking a BGSU timeout. The Cards built the score to 21-17 and Bowling Green burned its final timeout to regroup. BGSU got to within one at 22-21 but the Cardinals finally closed the door 25-22.

The Cardinals fell behind 11-6 and struggled to gain ground, using timeouts trailing 10-5 and then 16-10 but could not grab the momentum in the fourth set. Down 23-15, the Cards did score two in a row, including an ace by Melanie McHenry but it did not change the outcome as BGSU won 25-17 and forced a fifth set.

The Cards used a 6-0 run in the final set to put the Falcons back on their heels, powered by three kills by Tess Clark and an ace and kill by McHenry. BGSU finally sided out and scored twice but it was too late as the Cards rolled 15-11.

The Cardinals have their home opener next when they face Santa Clara at 7:30 on Friday, Sept. 2 at the KFC Yum! Center. That location was changed from Cardinal Arena on campus when the Arena became available.