Sports
Ohio Volleyball Picks Up Another Sweep Against EMU
By: Max McDulin
Posted on:
Ohio bobcat volleyball continued their early domination of Mid-American Conference opponents by defeating the Eastern Michigan Eagles in Ypsilanti, Michigan, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-19). The win moves the ‘Cats to 4-0 in conference play and to 14-3 on the season.
The second set was tight throughout and the key point of the match. Ohio nabbed the set 25-23, overcoming six lead changes and 11 ties. After a kill by Karin Bull to give the set it’s final tie, EMU took a timeout.
The timeout seemed to be a last ditch effort to slow the pendulum of momentum, more so than any type of readjustment, as neither teams made substitutions. The swing could not be stopped though as Ohio took the next two points and the set on a kill by Jamie Kosiorek, and a service ace by Mallory Salis.
Ohio led 8-4 early in the third, but then Eastern Michigan fought back to even it up at 10-10, after a long point concluded with a big block from the Eagles’ Stacey Perinar and Cassie Haut. The Eagles would use that momentum to eventually take a third set lead 17-15.
But then, Ohio completely denied all of Eastern Michigan’s momentum as Kosiorek started a run with a ferocious kill that wouldn’t end until nine points later. It led to the ‘Cats taking a 24-17 lead, effectively concluding the set and the match. They went on to win 25-19, and the final point was recorded on a kill by Ali Lake.
The opener was nowhere near as dramatic as the two sets that followed as Ohio took its first lead at 3-2 and never relinquished it, winning the set 25-21. The tone in the first was established by Katie Nelson as four of her 10 kills on the day came in the opening eleven points.
Consistency has been extremely important early on in MAC play for the Bobcats as once again they gave away only 13 free points on errors, compared to 19 errors by EMU.
Next for Ohio is another weekend on the road as they head to Akron to take on the Zips next on Firday at 7 p.m. They follow that up with a matchup against at Buffalo on Saturday at 7 p.m.