Sports
Volleyball: Ohio beats Akron on senior night
By: Colleen O'Morrow
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With Saturday’s game being senior night, it was only fitting that the team honored seniors Katie Post and Nicole Staverman by beating Akron.
Earlier this year the Cats beat the Zips in three sets and tonight they did it again with scores of 25-21, 25-17, 27-25. Because of Miami (OH)’s win over Western Michigan, Ohio will be the second-seeded team in the Mid-American Conference tournament next weekend in Geneva, Ohio.
The first set began slow as the ‘Cats seemed out of their game. Akron gained five points on Ohio before the Cats were able to muster one. Even after the first kill of the set from Chelsea Bilger, the ‘Cats remained behind. Finally by the middle of the set, kills from Ohio brought it back up to match Akron with the score of 11-11. Ohio took it from there and won the opening set by four.
“There are always a lot of emotions on senior night, it’s kind of hard to focus and get down to business,” Staverman said.
Into the second set, the ‘Cats were awake and ready to go. The set started out with a kill from Kelly Lamberti and Ohio remained in the lead for the whole set. Hit after hit, Lamberti, Chelsea Bilger and Katie Post carried Ohio to a 25-17 set two win. Staverman gained the last point of the game, with her front row debut, in her last game at home.
The ‘Cats kept their momentum going into the third but the Zips were soon to catch up. Once again, Lamberti, Bilger and Post stayed strong with kills but Akron hit right back. Lexie Harnett held back the Zips with strong blocks. The set ended at 27-25 with a final hit by Post to finish her senior night.
“Obviously it’s my last match of the regular season, so I just wanted to go out with something good and luckily I got it,” Post said. “It’s been a long four years, I’ve had so much fun and I wish the girls the best of luck.”