HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (Aug. 25, 2023) – The ETSU volleyball team opened the 2023 season by falling in straight sets to Bowling Green (16-25, 10-25, 24-26) on Friday afternoon at the NKU Invitational.

Junior Amanda Lowe (Blacksburg, Va.) led the Blue & Gold as she provided seven kills, while newcomer Malgorzata Andersohn (Bydgoszcz, Poland) dished out 13 assists and added three digs.

As a team, ETSU (0-1) totaled 27 kills, but also finished with 27 attack errors on 88 total attempts. The errors also piled up in the service game as the Bucs posted seven service errors and seven receiving errors. Bowling Green (1-0) finished with 33 kills (15 errors) en route to generating a .231 attack percentage. The Falcons also added seven service aces and seven blocks.

The first set was tightly contested as the teams combined for eight ties and six lead changes, but with ETSU ahead, 12-11, the Bucs were unable to control the momentum. Bowling Green, the reigning Mid-American Conference champions, won five of the next six points to go up, 16-13. The Bucs clipped their deficit to two twice down the stretch, but the Falcons closed the set on a 9-2 run to take the opener, 25-16.

Bowling Green won the first seven points of the second set to take the frame, 25-10, and closed the match with a 26-24 victory in the third to complete the sweep.

ETSU battled the entire third set and led 22-20 late in the stanza following a kill by Eastern Kentucky transfer Kali Walker (Wildwood, Fla.). However, back-to-back miscues by the Blue & Gold allowed Bowling Green to tie the score at 22-22 – and despite the Bucs pulling even at 24 – the Falcons won the final two points to finish the match.

Kat Mandly led all players with 11 kills, while Amanda Otten added 18 assists, seven digs and six kills.

The Bucs return to the court on Saturday as ETSU takes on tournament host North Kentucky at 5 p.m.

For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball tab.