Ohio State
19-3, 8-2B1G
Michigan
15-6, 5-5B1G
Buckeyes Capitalize On Top-25 Battle at Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 24, 2015
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 6 Ohio State University women’s volleyball team departed from Wolverine Country with a four-set victory in hand. The Buckeyes (19-3, 8-2 Big Ten) captured three of four frames, none of which were decided by any more than the minimal two-point margin required: 25-23, 23-25, 28-26, 28-26. No. 23 Michigan moves to 15-6 on the season, including a 5-5 mark in the Big Ten.
Four the eighth time in 10 B1G matches, Ohio State held the opposition to a sub-.200 attacking percentage as the Wolverines swung just .173 due in large part to 16 blocks and 68 digs by the Buckeyes. Ohio State’s 16-block effort is tied for the season high. Tyler Richardson paced all comers with eight rejections, including a solo stuff. Taylor Sandbothe chipped in six blocks and Elizabeth Campbell got in on five block assists.
Offensively, the Buckeyes hit .269 powered by four different Buckeyes accumulating double-digit kills. Campbell’s 17 terminations were tops on the team, followed quickly by 16 kills from Luisa Schirmer and 15 and 13 from Audra Appold and Sandbothe, respectively. Emily Ruetter solely handled setting duties and responded with 54 assists and 15 digs for the double-double. Appold finished as a double-double performer, too, with 14 digs to accompany her 15 kills.
Ohio State never trailed in the opening set, maintaining a slim edge throughout a 25-23 winning tally. The Buckeyes smashed 21 kills in the frame and attacked .370 (21-4-46). Schirmer bounced seven kills, more than doubling any individual effort from the Wolverines.
The Wolverines then equaled the score at one set apiece with a 25-23 winner of their own in set number two. Michigan withstood a late OSU rally which locked it up at 23-all before back-to-back UM kills sealed the deal.
A quick glance at the third-set box score did little to explain the 28-26 final tally. Ohio State dominated all numbers, except the most important … the score. The Buckeyes attacked .326 with six blocks compared to just .167 and two stuffs for Michigan. In the end, Ohio State needed to fend off consecutive UM set points at 24-22. The Buckeyes did just that though and notched the next three points to pull ahead. Ohio State would eventually go on to win it, 28-26.
Set number four mirrored the previous stanza, another 28-26 ledger in favor of the Scarlet & Gray. Not only that, but the Buckeyes faced another 24-22 challenge before deflecting a pair of set points to make it 24-24. Schirmer and Campbell took over and carried OSU to the 28-26 match-clincher.
The Buckeyes return to St. John Arena for a 5 p.m. ET tilt against the visiting Nittany Lions of Penn State on Wednesday (Oct. 28); broadcast live on ESPNU.
