No. 5 Ohio State Strong Down the Stretch in Win Over Red Flash

Monday, January 8

Columbus, Ohio

7 p.m.

Ohio State

3-0,0-0MIVA

St. Francis University

0-1,0-0NEC

Saint Francis (PA)

Ohio St.

Photo by: Jay LaPrete

No. 5 Ohio State Strong Down the Stretch in Win Over Red Flash

1/8/2024 9:06:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Season Stats

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 5 Ohio State (3-0) dropped the first set but came back strong to win the final three to down St. Francis University (0-1) Monday at the Covelli Center.

For the second-consecutive match, the Buckeyes dropped the first set, this time 28-26 vs. the Red Flash, before winning the final three sets for a 3-1 win. Ohio State won 25-20, 25-15 and 25-18 to close out the win.

Jacob Pasteur led the way with 23 kills while Shane Wetzel (14) and Justin Howard (10) also were in double figures. Noah Platfoot was credited with 48 assists to lead both teams. Pasteur led a balanced defensive effort by the Buckeyes with seven digs.

How it Happened

Set 1
St. Francis got out to a 7-4 lead before a Red Flash service error and a Shane Wetzel ace closed the gap to 7-6. Ohio State tied it at 8-all after a pair of St. Francis errors. A Justin Howard kill gave the Buckeyes their first lead at 11-10. Jacob Pasteur followed up with a kill, leading to a SFU timeout down 12-10. After the Red Flash tied it at 14-all, the teams began to trade points until SFU took a 23-21 lead after a 3-1 run. The Buckeyes called timeout and then took the lead with a 3-0 run to set up match point at 24-23. The Red Flash won the next rally and called timeout with the set tied at 24-all. Pasteur put Ohio State up 25-24 but SFU tied it on an OSU attack error. The Red Flash took the lead and the Buckeyes called timeout down one. The Red Flash then took the set, 28-26, on a kill and set-winning ace. The Buckeyes hit .214 with Pasteur leading with six kills. St. Francis hit .429.

Set 2
St. Francis kept its momentum early in the second in taking a 6-3 lead. A Cole Young kill cut it to 8-7 SFU. A Pasteur kill and ace tied the set at 11-all. Pasteur gave the Buckeyes a 14-13 lead with a kill. But the Red Flash went back up 16-15 with a kill of its own. The Buckeyes again took the lead on a Pasteur kill and a Young ace but SFU tied it again at 17-all. The Buckeyes went up three, 20-17, on a Howard kill, a block and a Wetzel blast. After a Red Flash timeout, Wetzel added another kill for a 21-17 OSU advantage. An SFU attack error added to Ohio State's lead before a Buckeye service error made it 22-18. A Pasteur kill set up match point and a St. Francis service error gave the Buckeyes a 25-20 win. Pasteur led both teams with 13 total kills. The Buckeyes hit .571 in the set and took the overall lead in hitting, .393-.383.

S2 l Jacob ties it up at 16! pic.twitter.com/BHKQzFzEon
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) January 9, 2024

Set 3
Young gave the Buckeyes their largest lead in the third at 8-6. The lead increased to 10-7 on a St. Francis attack error. Howard kept the lead at three with a kill down the middle before a Pasteur blast made it 12-8 Buckeyes. A 4-1 run made it 18-11 Buckeyes before a St. Francis timeout. A big swing by Wetzel, another by Pasteur and a Buckeye block gave the Buckeyes a 23-14 lead. Ohio State won the set after an SFU error and a set-winning kill by Wetzel gave the Buckeyes the 25-15 win. Pasteur led three Buckeyes in double figures in kills with 18. Wetzel and Howard each had 10 after three sets. Ohio State hit .765 in the set while SFU hit .077.

S3| Putnam hustling to set up Pasteur! Buckeyes taking over the match! pic.twitter.com/f3sPksRHqL
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) January 9, 2024

S3| Justin Howard over the block?? pic.twitter.com/Jo7vSLMuQq
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) January 9, 2024

Set 4
The Buckeyes jumped to a quick 3-1 lead. Pasteur combined for a kill and an ace to make it 7-3 Buckeyes. SFU called timeout after a Wetzel kill made it 8-3 Buckeyes. Ohio State came out of the timeout and added to the lead on another Wetzel kill to make it 11-6 Buckeyes. An ace by the Red Flash cut into the Ohio State lead at 14-10. St. Francis called another timeout with the Buckeyes leading 16-11. A Ben Putnam kill put Ohio State in the lead 18-12. Pasteur's 20^th kill of the match gave Ohio State a 19-13 lead. A Kyle Teune and Pasteur kill put the Buckeyes up 22-15. A SFU service set up match point at 24-18. The Buckeyes got the match-winner off a Young swing that was blocked out of bounds for the 25-18 win.