Sports
Ohio Rolls Akron, Gets First Sweep In 27 Days
< < Back to ohio-rolls-akron-gets-first-sweep-27-daysThe Bobcats are back in form.
After nearly a month since their last 3-0 win, the girls in Green and White rolled through Akron Friday, Nov. 1 in the Convo, 25-14, 25-17, 24-13, for their first sweep since Oct. 5 against Bowling Green.
Junior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti did not play in the match due to the lingering effects of a sprained ankle suffered Oct. 19 against Ball State.
Even without the reigning MAC Player of the Year, Ohio set the tone early, grabbing a 5-1 lead in the first set. Graduate middle blocker Alexis Pinson and senior outside hitter Liis Kullerkann provided the early spark with two kills apiece in the opening five points.
The Bobcats finished 19 of their 25 first set points on kills.
Akron enjoyed a bried lead in the early second set, but Ohio tracked down the visiting Zips to tie the match at 4 and at 8. The Bobcats then took control, 9-8, on a block by freshman Katie Horton and sophomore Karin Bull.
Five points later, with the score tied 11-11, a Zips service error gave Ohio an easy side out and sparked a 5-point Bobcat run. Kullerkann and freshman Mallory Salis killed two points and freshman Geneva Yee dropped in back-to-back service aces on the way to a 17-11 Green and White advantage.
Akron won the next four points to force a timeout, but Ohio closed the set on an 8-2 run, winning the last five points.
The Bobcats again opened up a close game with a run in the middle of the third set.
Down 8-7, a Kullerkann kill gave Ohio the side out, and Salis followed with two kills to put the ‘Cats up 10-8 and force an Akron timeout. The stoppage did little for the Zips, as they erred on three of the next five points.
Ohio took a 15-8 lead and cruised to the win in three comfortable sets.
Salis led all players with 12 kills filling in on the outside for Lamberti; Kullerkann and Horton added nine and eight, respectively.
Libero Meredith Ashy had 25 digs, her most ever in a three-set match. The sophomore previously recorded 22 digs in three-set wins over Oregon and Dayton this season.
Ohio (19-4, 9-2 MAC) will play Buffalo (16-7, 4-6) Saturday, Nov. 2 to round out the weekend in the Convocation Center.