Ohio State Headed to Western Kentucky for Tournament
9/11/2019 4:31:10 PM | Women's Volleyball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – It’s another weekend on the road for the Ohio State women’s volleyball team as it prepares for the Holiday Inn-University Plaza Invitational, hosted by Western Kentucky. The Buckeyes open the tournament versus Tulane at 1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET Friday before closing the evening against the Lady Toppers at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET. Action wraps up on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET against Bowling Green.
| Matches | Date | Time | Live Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State vs. Tulane | Friday, Sept. 13 | 1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
| Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky | Friday, Sept. 13 | 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
| Ohio State vs. Bowling Green | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET | Live Stats |
SCOUTING REPORT
Friday’s outing with Tulane will be the inaugural match between the programs. The Green Wave is coming into the contest with a 6-2 record after beating New Orleans, 3-1, on Tuesday night.
Ohio State has a 3-1 lead in the all-time series versus Western Kentucky. The teams faced off in Columbus two years ago when the Buckeyes dropped a straight-set decision. The Lady Toppers have won their last two matches and are 6-1 on the season.
Bowling Green has a 5-2 record and is on a four-match win streak. Ohio State is undefeated against the Falcons with an 11-0 mark all-time. The Buckeyes picked up a 3-0 victory the last time Bowling Green came to town in 2009.
LAST TIME OUT
Ohio State went 1-2 at the Champyinz Invitational last weekend with its lone win coming against Duquesne in straight sets. The Buckeyes were swept by No. 10 Pitt and fell to Green Bay in four sets, which puts them at 3-3 overall. Gabby Gonzales hit .310 and tallied 31 kills at the tournament, including a career-high 20 kills against the Dukes.
BY THE NUMBERS
With six matches in the books, Mia Grunze paces the Buckeyes with 4.19 kills per set. Jenaisya Moore leads in total kills (74) and is averaging 3.52. Mac Podraza is handing out 9.95 assists per set while Kylie Murr has 5.41 digs per set. At the net, four Buckeyes have double-digit blocks – Elle Sandbothe (18), Lauren Witte (15), Podraza (14) and Jordan Fry (12).
NEW FACES
Ohio State added eight new Buckeyes to the 2019 roster. The incoming class featured six freshmen – Cecilia Rocafort, Kylie Murr, Gabby Gonzales, Reilly MacNeill, Mac Podraza and Jenaisya Moore. The squad also welcomed two transfers, graduate student Abby Julian and senior Elle Sandbothe.
WELCOME TO THE COVELLI CENTER
The women’s volleyball team are the first Buckeyes to compete in the brand new Covelli Center, a 3,700-seat arena that is home to seven varsity sports. The state-of-the-art facility is part of the new Ohio State Athletic District and spans over 100,000 square feet in total, including a locker room and coaching suite designed specifically for women’s volleyball. The program spent 33 years competing in the storied St. John Arena before making the transition to Covelli in 2019.
UP NEXT
Ohio State returns to the Covelli Center to host Miami (OH), Illinois State and Dayton for the Buckeye Invitational Sept. 19-21.
