Toledo Clinches MAC Tournament Berth with Reverse Sweep Over Bowling Green

Tuesday, November 3

Bowling Green, Ohio

6 p.m.

University of Toledo

19-4,11-2MAC

Bowling Green

18-6,10-3MAC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Toledo	21	23	25	25	15	3
Bowling Green	25	25	22	23	8	2

Toledo battled back for a 3-2 win over Bowling Green to clinch a spot in the MAC Tournament.

Photo by: Will Turner

11/3/2026 9:22:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Rockets secure sixth-straight MAC Tournament berth with 3-2 victory over Falcons

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Toledo women's volleyball team rattled off a 3-2 reverse sweep (21-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-8) over rival Bowling Green in the Battle of I-75 presented by Fremont Federal Credit Union on Tuesday night in Bowling Green, Ohio. The win marks Toledo's first victory at the Stroh Center over the Falcons since a 3-2 win on Oct. 6, 2023.

The victory officially clinches the Rockets' (19-4, 11-2 MAC) spot in the 2026 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament, establishing a program-record sixth-straight season that UT will compete in the league tournament. The 11 conference victories is one shy of a program-record most MAC wins in a single season set by the 2013 squad.

With the win over the Falcons, Toledo moves into sole possession of first place in the league standings.

Kayla Ozanich led the offense with 13 kills and a career-best 10 blocks, recording her first career double-double. Lilly Merk poured in 11 kills, and Ava Siefke added in nine kills.

Grace Freiberger had a team-best 24 digs, recording her second-consecutive match with 20-plus digs, and adding in two service aces. Jessica Costlow chipped in 17 digs, while Avery Adamski tied her season-best with 17 digs.

Setter Maddy Bach dished out a team-high 23 assists to go with 11 digs for her seventh double-double of the year. Janelle Green recorded 18 assists and 13 digs for her ninth double-double this season.

The Rockets rattled off 15 total blocks throughout the evening, the most in a single match this season and the fifth time this year UT has registered a double-figure block total.

Quoting Head Coach Brian Wright
"I am unbelievably proud of this team's fight. They believe in each other, are willing to do hard things, show up every single day and play with so much courage. Down 2-0 against a rival on their home court in front of a big crowd while tied at the top of the MAC standings is all the criteria to make that one of the biggest regular season wins in program history! Thank you to all of our fans who showed up and were loud!"

Key Moments

Bowling Green took a slight 8-5 lead early in the first set. An 8-1 run by the Rockets, highlighted by kills from Sierra Pertzborn and a block from Pertzborn and Kayla Ozanich, gave UT a 15-12 lead at the media timeout. The Falcons responded with a 4-0 run of their own to level the frame, 19-19, before scoring the final five points to win the set, 25-21.
The Falcons jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the second set with a pair of kills. BGSU extended its advantage to 15-9 at the media timeout, before a solo block from Olivia Heitkamp and a kill from Lilly Merk put UT within three, 16-13. The Falcons used a pair of kills to take a 20-14 lead, before Toledo fired off an 8-1 run to even the score at 23-23 on a block from Siefke and Ozanich. BGSU followed with two kills to take the set victory.
The Rockets and Falcons traded points early in the third set before Toledo rattled off a 10-2 surge to take a 15-10 lead at the media timeout. A 4-0 run from BGSU evened the set, 16-16, and both sides went back-and-forth. Heitkamp and Ozanich combined for a block to put Toledo in front, 23-21, before a termination from Siefke gave UT the set win.
In a back-and-forth fourth set, the Rockets took a slight 17-15 lead thanks to an ace from Avery Adamski and a kill from Jessica Costlow. Three-straight points from the Falcons evened the set, 18-18, before two more Costlow terminations gave Toledo a 22-20 lead. UT reached set point on an error from BGSU and Pertzborn hammered home a kill to secure the set victory and force a fifth set.
Merk and Heitkamp combined for a block to help Toledo take a 6-3 lead in the fifth set. An Ozanich kill extended the Rockets' advantage, 8-4, before an ace from Costlow kept UT ahead, 13-7. Kills from Siefke and Maddy Bach gave Toledo the set victory.

Up Next
Toledo will return to Savage Arena to host Eastern Michigan on Friday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. Following the match, the Rockets will celebrate the careers of Sophie Catalano, Gabbi LeBlanc, Brooke Naniseni and Caylee Sharkey.