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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Ohio State women’s volleyball team got back in the win column Friday night after it erased a 2-1 deficit to beat Rutgers in five sets (18-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 15-9). The Buckeyes improve to 11-6 overall and 2-3 in Big Ten play while the Scarlet Knights drop to 6-12 and 0-5 in conference action.
Lauren Witte led the charge with 17 kills, a .577 hitting percentage and three rejections. Adria Powell also had 17 kills, a career high, and Vanja Bukilić added 13 kills and four blocks. Bia Franklin chipped in nine kills while Becca Mauer and Olivia Dailey handed out 39 and 12 assists, respectively. Hannah Gruensfelder tallied a match-best 14 digs, followed by Franklin with 13. Camryn Moeller dug a career-high nine balls.
SET 1: Rutgers scored the first six points of the match before Ohio State pulled within one, 11-10. The Buckeyes tried to keep things close but it wasn’t enough as they fell 25-18.
SET 2: Ohio State jumped out to an 11-4 lead early in the frame. The Scarlet Knights got back in the set, 18-15, but the Scarlet & Gray held them off for a 25-19 triumph.
SET 3: It was a back and forth battle that featured 12 ties. Both teams were evenly matched until the 23-all mark. With the score tied, Rutgers called a timeout and came out of the break ready to go as it posted the last two points to take the set, 25-23.
SET 4: Things started off much like the previous set until OSU had a slight advantage, 18-16. The Buckeyes continued to separate themselves from the Scarlet Knights thanks to a 7-2 run to close the frame, 25-18, and force a deciding set.
SET 5: Rutgers went up 7-6 but Ohio State responded with five straight points to take an 11-7 lead. It was all about the Buckeyes from that point as they limited the Scarlet Knights to only two more points and secured a 15-9 winner.
UP NEXT
Ohio State faces No. 9 Penn State for the second time this season at 7 p.m. Saturday in Happy Valley.
