Ohio State
18-3, 7-2B1G
Michigan State
14-6, 6-3B1G
Buckeye Winning Streak Halted at Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 21, 2015
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EAST LANSING, Mich. – The No. 6 Ohio State University women’s volleyball team (18-3, 7-2 Big Ten) saw its seven-match winning streak come to an end on the road at Michigan State (14-6, 6-4 Big Ten) Wednesday night inside the Jenison Fieldhouse. Ohio State’s longest conference winning streak since 2006 was snapped by a final score of 25-20, 25-19, 26-24.
Taylor Sandbothe produced a team-high 10.5 points on six blocks (1s, 5a), three service aces and four kills. Ashley Wenz entered in the second set and ripped a half dozen kills for the second straight match, tied with Audra Appold for the team lead in kills. The entire 14-player roster saw action in an effort to escape East Lansing with the victory. A total of 28 tie scores and 10 lead changes serve as proof of a much tighter contest than the 3-0 tally would suggest.
Defense was scarce in set number one as both squads attacked above .520 with just 10 digs and one block combined in the opening frame. Five different Buckeyes connected on multiple kills. Meanwhile, the Spartan duo of Alyssa Garvelink and Holly Tolliver each recorded four kills. Ohio State burned a timeout trailing 7-4 before Sandbothe emerged with a flurry. She ripped a kill followed by three consecutive aces from the service stripe to push OSU ahead 8-7. The next two points went in favor of the home team, however, and Michigan State remained on top the rest of the way in a 25-20 opener.
Match flow flipped dramatically in the second stanza as defense ruled the day. The two foes racked up 26 digs and seven blocks to lower both attack percentages below .150. The scoring pattern was much the same though. Michigan State took the lead for good at 8-7 and held strong for the 25-19 winner.
Both teams swung .194 in the third frame and the final result was similarly close. The upper hand exchanged sides of the net six times and on 15 different occasions the score was deadlocked. The only edge of more than two points throughout the entire frame came at 19-16 on a block from Emily Ruetter and Sandbothe. From there the Spartans outscored Ohio State, 10-5, and snuck away with a 26-24 match-clinching triumph.
The Scarlet & Gray return to the state of Michigan for a Saturday scuffle against the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
