Ohio State
11-2, 0-1B1G
Minnesota
9-2, 1-0B1G
Big Ten Opener Gets Away in Five Sets – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 23, 2015
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – In the first of two top-25 match-ups held in St. John Arena this week, the 12th-ranked Buckeyes climbed out of a two-sets-to-none hole to force a fifth set before ultimately dropping the Big Ten opener to No. 21 Minnesota (25-22, 25-12, 23-25, 19-25, 15-11).
Ohio State (11-2, 0-1 B1G) scratched and clawed its way back from the 0-2 deficit by taking a tight one, 25-23, in the third set and a gritty effort in set number four. The Buckeyes dug 23 balls in the fourth frame, limiting Minnesota (9-2, 1-0 B1G) to just nine kills and a .000 attacking efficiency. Elizabeth Campbell’s 11 kills, 12 digs, two aces and a .346 hitting percentage in the two victorious sets played a large role in the comeback as well.
For the match, Campbell recorded her sixth double-double of the season and 13th as a Buckeye with 18 kills and 14 digs. Taylor Hughes also now owns six double-dubs in 2015 after accumulating 38 assists and 10 digs Wednesday night versus the Golden Gophers. Luisa Schirmer finished as the team’s top digs producer though, picking up 16 balls. The Buckeyes put forth 13 team blocks, paced by Taylor Sandbothe’s six stuffs (2s, 4a).
Minnesota never trailed in either of the first to sets, bringing a 2-0 edge into the locker rooms for the 10-minute intermission. Sandbothe made sure to put an end to that streak immediately following the break in action, posting a kill to put OSU on top 1-0. Sandbothe would later break up a 17-17 tie, terminating another set from Hughes. That kill ignited a four-point run for the Scarlet & Gray to go ahead 21-17. The Gophers were able to slice the deficit to a lone point at 24-23, but a Daly Santana attack went wide ad Ohio State moved on to the fourth set.
Ohio State’s aforementioned 23 fourth-set digs were accompanied by five blocks, further smothering the Gopher offense. Another mid-set four-point run launched OSU to triumph once again. Locked up at 13-all, a pair of Katie Mitchell kills bookended back-to-back Gopher errors to lift Ohio State on top for the remainder of the set.
The fifth and final frame proved to be as intriguing as the previous four. It opened with five of seven points going to Minnesota. The script was then flipped and Ohio State grabbed five of the next seven to re-even the tally at 7-up. The pendulum would swing back in favor of the Gophers, however, as Minnesota notched eight of the final 12 tallies to close out the match 15-11.
The Big Ten gauntlet continues on Sunday (Sept. 27) when No. 16 Wisconins rolls into town for a 2 p.m. Sunday showdown.
