Ohio State
22-9, 11-8Big Ten
Minnesota
25-4, 17-2Big Ten
#16 Buckeyes Push #4 Minnesota to a Fifth Set in Minneapolis – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 26, 2015
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The No. 16 Ohio State women’s volleyball team scuffled with the fourth-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers for five sets before ultimately falling 15-9 in the final frame. Ohio State (22-9, 11-8 Big Ten) seized the first two sets before Minnesota (25-4, 17-2 Big Ten) — clinching at least a share of the 2015 Big Ten championship — stormed back to take the match in five sets: 27-25, 31-29, 17-15, 15-25, 9-15.
Elizabeth Campbell and Katie Mitchell each recorded double-doubles, posting 18 kills, 15 digs and 11 kills, 14 digs, respectively. Audra Appold matched Campbell’s 18 kills while Taylor Sandbothe terminated 13 kills to make it four Buckeyes in double-digit kill territory. Taylor Hughes and Valeria León combined for 27 digs.
The first two sets were a slugfest as neither team could muster a large advantage. The score was tied on 16 occasions in both of the first two frames, leading to 15 combined lead changes. Minnesota was afforded the first set-point opportunity of the evening at 24-22. Mitchell was having none of it, however, ripping a kill and teaming up with Hughes for a block to even the score at 24-all. Moments later, another Gopher set point was foiled by a Sandbothe kill and immediately followed by consecutive Minnesota attacking errors to lift Ohio State up a set, 27-25.
Mitchell kept in rolling in set number two, bouncing five kills on nine swings. Her last two put-aways came on back-to-back points and converted a 28-27 deficit into a 29-28 upper-hand. Sandbothe then closed it out shortly thereafter with another Buckeye triumph in extra points, 31-29.
Tight quarters continued midway through the third set, locked up 14-14. The Gophers then exploded for a four-point spurt though, pulling ahead for good at 18-14. Minnesota’s Sarah White toed the service line for the final five tallies of the set, keeping the Gophers alive with a 25-17 winner. Momentum remained in favor of Minnesota throughout set number four. The Golden Gophers attacked .378 with 17 kills to force a fifth set, 25-15.
All resources were used in the fifth as the entire 14-player OSU roster saw action in an upset bid versus the country’s fourth-ranked squad. Minnesota’s train continued to roll, however, sending away the Buckeyes 15-9 in the deciding period.
Ohio State puts the 2015 regular season to rest on Saturday (Nov. 28), hosting Rutgers at 7 p.m. ET for Senior Night. Fans are encouraged to stick around post-match for the Senior Class recognition ceremony.
