Sports
Ohio Volleyball: Bobcats drop MAC opener in five set battle with Bowling Green
By: Michael Roth
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For the first two sets, Ohio looked poised to get a huge victory to open up conference play against one of the top teams in the MAC.
The Bobcats jumped out to a two set lead but fell in noncompetitive third and fourth sets.
That led a decisive fifth set where the Bobcats held a lead for most of the set before eventually falling 15-13.
Ohio (8-5, 0-1) couldn’t finish the job against Bowling Green (7-6,1-0) despite being given three sets to get the win.
In the first set, Ohio was in control for a majority of the time. Never trailing after the first point of the game.
The Bobcats took a lead as big of a lead as 18-11. Bowling Green then stormed back to make it as close as 24-23, after avoiding set point twice.
Ohio finally got the set won after an attacking error by the Falcons.
In the first set, Tia Jimerson led the Bobcats offense with six kills on only eight attempts.
Besides her, the Ohio’s offense struggled, with 13 kills compared to eight attacking errors.
The Bobcats fell behind 7-2 in the second set before storming back. Lauren Park had four kills in the second set including two in a row to give Ohio a 20-18 lead.
“Lizzie (Stephens) struggles a little bit so we brought in Lauren (Park) who gave us a lift off the bench for a bit,” Ohio Head Coach Deane Webb.
Olivia Margolies sealed the deal for the Bobcats with kills on back-to-back points to win the set 25-21.
The Bobcats attempted to sweep their fourth consecutive home game to begin the season but we unable to complete the task.
Instead, Bowling Green took down Ohio with a convincing 25-14 margin.
In the fourth set it started with more of the same, with Bowling Green dominating.
Ohio fought back from a 7-0 hole and cut the deficit to 9-7 on a Maggie Nedoma ace.
After that Bowling Green took over and ended up winning the set 25-16.
“I don’t think we intentionally relaxed, but even if you relax a little bit the whole thing flips,” Webb said.
In the deciding fifth set Ohio jumped out to an early lead and was fueled by Jimerson and Vera Giacomazzi.
Ultimately, Ohio and Bowling Green would be tied at 13 with a huge point awaiting the two teams.
Ohio originally was awarded the point but after a replay it was ruled point Bowling Green.
The Falcons would end the match the next point.
In the end it was the 36 attacking errors, with 26 of them being unforced that killed Ohio.
“You can’t give any opponent, especially one as good as Bowling Green an entire set of points and expect to win,” Webb said.
Ohio tries to get back in the win column during the battle for the bricks when Miami comes to town on Saturday, first serve is at 5:00 P.M.