Ohio State
5-1
Florida State
3-3
Buckeyes Claim Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic Title – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 6, 2015
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – With a victory over No. 14 Florida State for the second straight evening, the No. 22 Ohio State University women’s volleyball team (5-1) seized the Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic trophy. The Buckeyes picked up a win over Northern Illinois (3-3) to open the competition on Saturday.
The Buckeyes have captured seven of 11 Sports Imports Classics titles total and six of the last seven.
Three Buckeyes earned All-Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic recognition, including the event’s Most Outstanding Player Taylor Sandbothe. Elizabeth Campbell and Valeria León joined her on the all-tournament squad. Additional members of the all-tournament team were Florida State’s Katie Horton and Milicia Kubura, and Jenna Radtke from Northern Illinois.
An offensive onslaught ensued in the tournament’s finale when Ohio State attacked.387 as a team, guided by a split setting effort from Taylor Hughes and Emily Ruetter. The tandem combined for 45 assists with 31 coming on connections with Campbell (16 kills) and Sandbothe (15 kills). While Campbell recorded an efficient .308 hitting percentage, Sandbothe swung at a ridiculous .682 clip crushing 15 kills on 22 errorless attempts. Andrea Kacsits made the most of her night as well, bouncing five of seven attacks (.714).
Sandbothe’s reign of terror was far from one-sided, dominating defensively as well. The Preseason All-Big Ten selection paced the squad with five blocks (1s, 4a) and an impressive three digs from the middle blocker position. Kacsits also got in on four block assists.
Each of the first two sets were lopsided from the start. The lead never exchanged hands throughout, going in favor of Ohio State in the opener and Florida State in the second stanza. Katie Mitchell terminated a kill to start the first set and OSU never looked back in a 25-19 winner. Excitement from Ohio State’s .556 first-set attacking efficiency was quickly erased in set number two as the Seminoles burst out to a 6-0 lead en route to their 25-18 triumph.
The OSU offense revved its engine once again following intermission. Ruetter stepped in and dished out 11 assists in the third frame, steering the Buckeyes to a .344 hitting efficiency. Much like the first two sets, lead changes were minimal. After Florida State went up 1-0, the Buckeyes won the next four consecutive points and steamrolled to a 25-13 drubbing.
The fourth and final frame was the most competitive of the night, locked up as late as 21-21. Out-of-system offensive success was huge for the Scarlet & Gray, pushed by León’s six assists from the libero position. Freshman Audra Appold stepped up in a big way, too, digging six balls.
Mitchell took advantage of a perfect bump set from León to break up the 21-21 stalemate, putting away the go-ahead kill. The Buckeyes would go on to snag the subsequent three tallies to close out the Seminoles in four sets, 25-21.
Ohio State returns to competition next weekend (Sept. 11-12) destined for Brooklyn. In addition to facing the host Blackbirds of LIU Brooklyn, the B
