Sports
Ohio Volleyball overpowers Liberty en route to 3-0 win in first match of Green & White Invitational
By: Marc Goldstein
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — As Anna Kharchynska swung her arm down toward the ball and sent it flying down to The Convo floor, it was as though the energy shifted in favor of Ohio.
Kharchynska led a strong effort that included Kam Hunt and Olivia Gardner starring in a get-right win for Ohio. After a rough weekend in Los Angeles that saw Ohio drop a trio of matches, the return to its home floor was a welcomed change of pace. The sheer force of players like Kharchynska, Hunt and Gardner were the driving factor in a win that Ohio hopes kicks off a weekend with a few more in store before Mid-American Conference play begins next week.
In the match, Ohio outhit Liberty, .321 to .093. In the losses last weekend, Ohio was unable to finish the job in sets, ultimately contributing to the lack of success on the West Coast. Ohio head coach Geoff Carlston laments the inability to “close the door.”
Ohio started off the match by taking control early, albeit not extending a lead larger than three points. It was not until Liberty took a 16-15 lead that Ohio trailed in the opening set. After an Ohio timeout, Elizabeth Hoerlein picked up a block and then a kill on the very next point to propel Ohio back ahead. Ohio would take that lead and parlay it into a set victory. Kharchynska had a block and two kills to help Ohio close out the set.
The second set was less kind to Ohio at the beginning. Liberty jumped out to a 7-2 lead early in the set, but Ohio responded with an 8-0 run to put it back ahead, 10-7. During that run, Ohio got kills from Darbi Ricketts and Emily Waddell. Carlston credits his team for responding after a little adversity.
“I thought that was a nice run,” Carlston said. “(To) be down 7-2 and we passed them and just never looked back, never let our foot off the gas against a really good team. I was really proud of how we responded.”
Ohio held the set down, due in large part to a personal 4-1 run by Gardner to push Ohio far enough ahead that it would be able to take the set, 25-17.
“In the beginning, my block was kind of my biggest struggle,” Gardner said. “This past weekend, I learned a lot in California. Today I just had confidence with it. And once you get one, they just follow.”
The second sequence of that set, however, spoke volumes about Ohio. The ability to answer the bell when knocked down is something that must be present in any volleyball team. Carlston cites the way the pendulum of each set swings so violently that no deficit is insurmountable.
The third set began with Ohio looking to close out the match, getting out to an early 6-3 lead. The lead never grew much more than a few points until Ohio stretched the lead to 18-12. An immediate 7-1 run by Ohio only drew it closer to ending the match in a mere trio of sets.
The final set was a masterclass from Hunt, who had six kills in that set alone. Hunt led the way for the Bobcats with her 14 kills, followed by Kharchynska’s 11. In the match, Gardner also set a career high in total blocks with six.
“Our coaches did a great job of laying out the scouting report, so I think I knew exactly what to expect,” Hunt said. “It’s always nice just coming and playing back at home again. This is where I’m most comfortable. I think this is where our team is most comfortable so it’s really easy to just come out and be efficient.”
The strength for Ohio against Liberty was the powerful kills that set shockwaves reverberating to the floorboards. Kharchynska, Hoerlein, Hunt and Gardner were all integral in keeping Liberty at arm’s length for the majority of the match. Outside of the five-point lead to start the second set, Ohio controlled the pace of the match.
“We like serving on the whistle,” Hunt said. “We like to play really fast. Honestly, after we score, whoever is serving just gets the ball, goes back to the line (and goes).”
Ohio was able to dominate the match with power and persistent efforts at the net. The amount of pressure Ohio was able to put on the defense when playing this aggressive, free style of volleyball is exactly what Carlston and the coaching staff needed to see as the team looks to live up to lofty expectations. With players like Kharchynska, Hunt, Gardner, among others, Ohio’s season might just start rolling in the right direction at the perfect time.