Hailey Koch
Mike Gallagher

Women's Volleyball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Golden Knights Challenge MAC Champion Bowling Green in Exhibition

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Gannon University women's volleyball team continued preparations for the upcoming 2023 season with an exhibition game at Division I Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon. It was the third time since 2019 that the two teams had played an exhibition match since 2019.

The match pitted a Gannon team that was 29-6, won the PSAC Championship and the Atlantic Regional to reach the Elite Eight versus a Bowling Green squad that won the Mid-American Conference championship in 2022 and advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament. The Falcons finished 15-3 in the MAC and closed the season with a 22-10 overall record.

The Falcons handed the Golden Knights a loss in three sets on Saturday but left head coach Matt Darling plenty to be encouraged about with the opening of the season on the horizon. Bowling Green won the first set 25-11, but the Falcons had to hold off Gannon 26-24 in set two and 25-21 in the third set at BGSU's Stroh Center.  The final two games featured 19 ties and eight lead changes.

Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) led Gannon with seven kills and five block assists while freshman Nehir Yazicioglu (Ankara, Turkey), a freshman outside hitter from Turkey, added five kills. PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) had a team-high eight digs while sophomore setter Bengislu Arslan, an AVCA honorable mention All-American, finished with seven digs and 14 assists.

The Golden Knights open the season in Florida on Sept. 1-2 against a powerful field in the Tampa Classic. They face Missouri S&T on Friday followed by matches against Central Missouri and Tampa on Saturday. Gannon's home opener is scheduled for Sept. 15 against Kutztown.
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

L
5' 11"
Junior
Accounting
Hailey Koch

#13 Hailey Koch

RS
6' 3"
Junior
Nehir Yazicioglu

#22 Nehir Yazicioglu

OH
5' 10"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

5' 11"
Junior
Accounting
L
Hailey Koch

#13 Hailey Koch

6' 3"
Junior
RS
Nehir Yazicioglu

#22 Nehir Yazicioglu

5' 10"
Freshman
OH