No. 9 Ohio State Wins in 5 Sets at No. 18 McKendree

Thursday, March 28

Lebanon, IL

8 p.m.

Ohio State

McKendree University

Ohio State Men's Volleyball vs. St. Francis 1/08/24

Photo by: Jay LaPrete

No. 9 Ohio State Wins in 5 Sets at No. 18 McKendree

3/28/2024 10:54:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 9 Ohio State (17-7, 10-4) won its fifth five-set match of the season with a 3-2 win at No. 18 McKendree (14-9, 8-6) Thursday at the Melvin Price Center in Lebanon, Illinois.

Ohio State won by scores of 26-28, 25-19, 23-25, 25-21, 15-10.

Teune had career-high 15 kills to tie Shane Wetzel, who had the match-winning kill in the fifth set against the Bearcats. Teune also had a team-high three aces.

Noah Platfoot led the Buckeyes with 31 assists and added 11 digs. Thomas Poole led with 15 digs while Ben Putnam added 13.

Cole Young and Wetzel tied for the team lead, each with four blocks.

All-American Jacob Pasteur, who has been out with a lower body injury, did not start but did see action. He added eight kills and a pair of aces in the win.

S5| Buckeyes win!?? pic.twitter.com/TjaWfN0E0G
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 29, 2024

How it Happened

Set 1
McKendree got out to a 7-1 lead on senior night for the Bearcats. The Buckeyes called timeout but the Bearcats built the lead to 13-4 before another Ohio State timeout. The Buckeyes went on a 6-1 run to cut it to 14-10 McKendree. Kyle Teune had a pair of kills during the run with Justin Howard getting it started with his first kill of the match. A Teune ace and Bearcats error made it 15-13 McKendree. The Bearcats used a 3-1 run to build the lead to 18-14. A Shane Wetzel kill after a long rally cut it to 19-17. Cole Young then made it a one-point set with a shot from the middle to make it 20-19 Bearcats. McKendree called time out up 22-20 with Wetzel at the service line for the Buckeyes. The Bearcats scored first after the break before the Buckeyes made it 23-22. Ohio State tied it at 24-all on a pair of McKendree errors. A Howard kill gave Ohio State its first lead at 25-24 following a 3-0 run. The Bearcats called their final timeout and tied it at 25-all. Ben Putnam gave Ohio State a 26-25 lead with a kill but the Bearcats scored the next two for the lead. McKendree then finished off the set on an Ohio State error to win 28-26. Teune led the Buckeyes with five kills.

Set 2
Ohio State used an early 4-0 run to take the lead 4-2. The Bearcats scored the next two for a tie at 4-all. A pair of McKendree errors put the Buckeyes back on top 6-4. A Putnam kill and Bearcats error built the lead to 8-5 Buckeyes. Ohio State built its largest lead of the night at 12-8 on consecutive Bearcats errors. McKendree drew to within two points at 16-14 before a couple errors by the Bearcats kept Ohio State up four at 18-14. Young connected from the middle for a 21-16 Ohio State lead before a Bearcats timeout. A Teune kill and ace made it 23-17 Buckeyes. Kills by Young and Teune gave the Buckeyes the 25-19 win to even the match at 1-all. Teune kept his team lead in kills with eight.

S2| Set two goes to the Bucks?? Match tied at 1-1. pic.twitter.com/FPsmV39cyv
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 29, 2024

Set 3
After Ohio State took a 1-0 lead, the Bearcats got the advantage and built a 9-6 lead after a 3-1 run. The Buckeyes called their first timeout down 10-6. A 3-1 McKendree run made it 14-10 Bearcats. Ohio State countered with a 3-1 run of its own to make it 14-12 McKendree. Back-to-back kills by Wetzel made it 15-14 Bearcats. Ohio State caught up and tied it at 19-all after a kill by Young and a Wetzel ace. Another Young kill tied it at 20 before a Teune kill made it 21-all. The Buckeyes took the lead on a Jacob Pasteur ace. McKendree scored the next three for a 24-22 lead. Ohio State called timeout and got a kill from Wetzel before the Bearcats got the set winner to go up 2-1 after the 25-23 win.

Set 4
The teams went back-and-forth until McKendree used a 4-1 run to take an 8-5 lead. A Pasteur kill and combo block by Wetzel and Howard cut the lead to 8-7 Bearcats. The Buckeyes tied it at 10 all on a kill by Howard and a McKendree error. Ohio State took the lead on kills by Teune and Howard to make it 14-13. A block by Noah Platfoot and Howard before a Bearcats error put the Buckeyes up 16-14. Pasteur added to the lead with a kill and the advantage grew to 19-15 after a Pasteur ace. Daniel Hurley then checked in and got a kill for a 21-18 lead. A Bearcats service error made it 22-19 Buckeyes. McKendree scored the next two before an Ohio State timeout leading 22-21. Pasteur put Ohio State at set point with consecutive kills to make it 24-21. McKendree called timeout but Ohio State took the set 25-21 after a Bearcats error. Teune lead with a career high 14 kills with Wetzel at 13.

Set 5
In the race to 15, the Buckeyes took a 3-1 lead with all Ohio State's points coming on Bearcats attack errors. Ohio State kept its edge briefly before McKendree tied it at 4-all after a 3-1 run. Kills by Pasteur and Wetzel followed by a Michael Wright ace led to a Bearcats timeout with Ohio State leading 7-4. A Bearcats service error followed by a Teune kill gave the Buckeyes a 9-5 cushion. The Buckeyes called timeout after a McKendree 3-0 run to make it 9-8 Buckeyes. Kills by Daniel Hurley and Young kept Ohio State out front 11-9. Wetzel then added an ace for a 12-9 advantage. Pasteur made it 13-10 with a kill. At match point following a Bearcats error and a McKendree timeout, the Buckeyes got the 3-2 win on a kill by Wetzel to win the set, 15-10.

Up Next:
Ohio State remains on the road for the final of five-consecutive road matches at Lindenwood Saturday (7 p.m./ESPN+). It's the final road contest in MIVA regular-season play this year. Ohio State returns to Columbus for the final two home matches of the regular-season next Thursday vs. McKendree (7 p.m./B1G+) and against Maryville Friday (7 p.m./B1G+) in the final out-of-conference match. Ohio State will celebrate Senior Night after the match against the Saints.

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