Ohio State
21-7, 10-6
Michigan
17-10, 7-9
Rivalry Match Ends in Favor of the Wolverines – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2015
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 14 Ohio State University women’s volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to the Michigan Wolverines (17-10, 7-9 Big Ten) Saturday night inside St. John Arena. Ohio State moves to 21-7 on the season and 10-6 in conference action with four matches left on the regular season docket.
After coming up short in the opening set 25-15, the Buckeyes responded well in an extended second stanza. The Wolverines squirmed out of six OSU set point opportunities, however, to escape with a back-breaking 31-29 triumph. Michigan followed with the clinching 25-16 final frame.
Buckeye libero Valeria León paced all comers with 16 digs in the match, moving her career total to 1,159 (11th most in school history). She is now just 14 digs shy of cracking the OSU all-time top-10 (Julie Chellevold ranks 10th with 1,173 digs from 1988-91). Middle blockers Tyler Richardson and Taylor Sandbothe got in on the defensive effort as well, each contributing three block assists.
Michigan jumped out in front 9-2 to open the match and attacked .361 en route to a 25-15 winner. Kylie Randall, making her 18th career start and first of the season, put away three kills but received little help as no other Buckeye registered multiple kills in the frame.
Set number two was a wild affair consisting of 22 tied scores and a whopping 10 lead changes. Elizabeth Campbell and Michigan’s Abby Cole went toe-to-toe, each blistering seven kills. Cole’s final termination was the final nail though, ending the set 31-29. A rejection from Campbell and Richardson fended off Michigan’s first set point and tied it up 29-all. Consecutive UM kills would follow to seal the deal.
Thirteen different Buckeyes saw action in the third set attempting to mount a comeback. Michigan, meanwhile, accumulated 16 kills at a .353 pace to squash the attempted OSU pushback and clinch the contest 25-16.
Next week’s slate sends the Buckeyes on the road headed to Iowa on Wednesday (Nov. 18) before a Sunday (Nov. 22) afternoon tilt at Wisconsin.
