Sports
Ohio Volleyball Fights to Get First MAC Road Win of Season
By: Max McDulin
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The Ohio Bobcats will be exiting their toughest weekend of the year 1-1 thanks to a dominant win over Bowling Green. Ohio swept the Falcons (25-19, 28-26, 28-26) in Bowling Green, Ohio on Friday night and now are 3-1 in conference play.
The second and third sets were the story in this one. Too many times this year Ohio has felt like they should win a set and eventually lost, however tonight’s script was not nearly the same as it has been the rest of this year. The ‘Cats trailed in the second 24-23 and it appeared that Bowling Green was going to nab a win.
Ohio took a timeout and came out of it with the determination to win the set. Jamie Kosiorek collected a kill to tie things up then an error by the Falcons gave Ohio a 25-24 advantage. The set would become tied again at 26, but then an error gave the ‘Cats a 27-26 lead. From that spot they pounced and Mallory Salis received a perfect set from Stephanie Olman for a kill to give Ohio the set and the momentum to win the third.
Individually the best performance of the night came off the strong right arm of Salis. She had 10 kills and only one error in the third set alone, a performance that will most likely be chalked up as one of the best by season’s end by any Bobcat in a single set.
What made Mallory Salis’s night even more impressive though is the fact that she has played off and on libero this season in addition to outside hitter. It is extremely rare that any player in the nation would go from one night being counted on as the primary serve receiver, and then on another night be counted on as the primary offensive attack.
This is a great example of how this squad is full of team players. The roles are not completely clear every night, Stephanie Olman may play setter all game, or might play with a mix of Catelyn Burke, Mallory Salis may play libero, or it could be Erica Walker, but no one complains.
Each player takes their assignment on with a full head of steam and does not boast about starting, or complain about being on the bench. In fact, Stephanie Olman said, “It’s a family atmosphere and it’s great to play for Coach Webb.”
Webb added, “Well playing for me isn’t why this team feels like a family, it’s because we don’t only recruit good players, we pride ourselves recruiting great people.”
Tonight was a great win for Ohio, but it was also an example of how much of a family this team has become.
Ohio returns to the Convocation Center on Thursday, Oct. 6 to host Kent State at 7 p.m.