Sports
Ohio Volleyball Sweeps Utah, Advances to 7-2
By: Max McDulin
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With momentum firmly on their side Ohio volleyball improved to 7-2 on the year as they defeated Utah 3-0 (25-16, 26-24, 25-17). The Bobcats looked dominant once again on their way to their second sweep in the last two days.
In the third set Ohio showed its authority and completely overpowered the Utes on the way to wrapping up a second straight sweep. After a short little back-and-forth affair, Ohio launched ahead to a 16-8 lead. Then as the Bobcats were leading 19-12 Abby Gilleland brought the power to Utah to put Ohio up 20-12. Ohio did not look back and they wrapped up the match in the third set 25-17.
The Bobcats started the day off very hot, as they opened up the first with a 12-3 lead on their way to a 25-16 first set victory. Utah was able to come within three at 19-16, but then Meredith Ashy, and Ali Lake had a pair of kills followed up by a Mallory Salis ace that put the Bobcats up 22-16, essentially wrapping up the set. Jamie Kosiorek and Katie Nelson teamed up for an authoritative block to put an exclamation point on the opening set.
The Cats’ refused to go down in the second set and would eventually pull off a come-from-behind set win at 26-24. The second started in the opposite way that the first did as Utah was leading 13-9 that forced coach Deane Webb to take a timeout. Utah led by four as it took a timeout and that was the turning point as the Bobcats won four of the next five points to come within one at 22-21.
The second set comeback was complete with a net violation called on Utah. Ohio took advantage of numerous mental mistakes at the end of the set by the Utes and capitalized on them by taking the set that showed great mental toughness. Utah made eight errors, three coming late in the set, in comparison to the ‘Cats making only five themselves, all early in the set.
With the win it is the first time since 2003 that Ohio has defeated a PAC-12 team and a SEC team (No. 10 Kentucky, and LSU) in the same season.