Sports

Ohio Sweeps Buffalo

Posted on: Friday, October 3, 2014

Ohio handed Buffalo their first Mid-American Conference loss Friday night as the Bobcats swept the Bulls 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-16) at the Convocation Center.

The Bobcats (10-4, 3-0 MAC) proved themselves dominant over a Buffalo team (12-5, 2-1) that was missing their starting setter Marissa Prinzbach and outside hitter Tahleia Bishop who was named MAC East offensive co-player of the week along side Ohio setter Abby Gilleland. Bishop’s presence was missed as the MAC’s leading team in total kills and kills per set was out-hit by the Bobcats 43-27.

“I think it’s staying focused the entire match. Obviously there was some girls out for Buffalo and we just had to focus a lot more,” said senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti. She led the Bobcats with ten kills, seven digs and two blocks. Freshman Jaime Kosiorek contributed 11 kills on the night.

Every aspect of the game seemed to be going in favor of the Bobcats, specifically blocking. The ‘Cats dominated the blocking battle, recording nine total team blocks to Buffalo’s three. Junior middle blocker Karin Bull recorded a match-high five blocks.

“We worked a lot on I-sequence blocking this week,” said Bull. “Looking at the pass, your options, what they having running and closing the gap as fast as we can.”

In the first and third sets of the match, Ohio came out and gained an early lead with Buffalo always unsuccessfully working to close the gap. Set two looked to be a different story in the beginning as the Bulls jumped out to an early 5-0 lead over the Bobcats. The Bobcats would go to score five unanswered points to cut the lead to one, gain the lead and end the set on a 10-4 run to win the set.

“ It is true that first sets have been amazing and second sets have just been kind of OK,” said head coach Deane Webb. “ What was good this time is it only lasted about four points.”

The Bobcats will look to remain undefeated in MAC play Saturday night when they face Akron at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center for the annual “Dig Pink” game that benefits breast cancer research.

“This match can be special and can be big because of what it represents,” said Webb.