Sports
Ohio Volleyball Claims Handful Of MAC Awards
< < Back to bobcat-volleyball-claims-handful-mac-awardsFive members of the Ohio volleyball team received All-MAC awards this season, including Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, and while leading the All-MAC First Team in selections with four.
Junior setter Abby Gilleland received the honor of MAC Player of the Year, marking the 10th time in program history that honor was given to an Ohio Bobcat. Last year, Gilliland became the first player in MAC history to earn both the Setter and Player of the Year awards in the same season, and she did it again this season.
She is also the first player in conference history to earn the MAC Player of the Year honor in consecutive seasons. Gilleland led the Bobcats to a 24-3 overall record, an undefeated, 16-0 conference record and the ninth regular season title in program history. Gilleland ranked third in the MAC with a .359 hitting percentage and fourth in assists with 10.89 per set in conference matches.
Ohio's Meredith Ashy also picked-up individual honors, as she was named the 2014 MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Ashy, a three-time MAC East Defensive Player of the Week, led the Ohio defense as the Bobcats’ libero. Ashy ranked third in the MAC with 5.04 digs per set over the conference season and had 472 digs overall. Ashy's honor marks the first time in program history that a Bobcat has been honored as the Defensive Player of the Year.
Senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti and junior middle blocker Karin Bull joined Gilleland and Ashy on the All-MAC first team.
Lamberti became the second player in program history become a four-time All-MAC First Team selection. She leads Ohio in conference play with 220 kills (3.86 per set; second in MAC) and 28 service aces (0.49 per set; first in MAC). Lamberti is currently tied for second in school history with 3.70 career kills per set and ranks third with 1,602 kills.
Bull earned First Team All-MAC honors for the second straight year and leads the Bobcats in blocks. She recorded 111 total blocks. Her 1.13 blocks per set ranks third in the MAC. She is also attacking at a team-best .348 clip, which is also good for fifth-best in a single season in program history. Her 191 kills ranks third on the team.
Freshman Jaime Kosiorek was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team in her first season with ‘Cats and became Ohio’s seventh player in the last five seasons to earn the honor.
Kosiorek ranks second on the squad with 250 kills and leads Ohio with 42 service aces. Her service-aces-per-set average is second-best in a single season in program history and ranks second in the MAC this season. Her service ace total ranks second in the MAC as well.
In conference play, Kosiorek ranks second on the team with 148 kills and 24 service aces.
Ohio will be in action again this weekend at the Convocation Center as it host the MAC tournament. As the league's 2014 regular season champion and No. 1 seed, the Bobcats earned a double-bye to the MAC semifinals and will play Sunday at 5:30 p.m.