Ohio State
8-4,3-1MIVA
Ball State University
12-2,4-1MIVA
No. 13 Ohio State Takes Down No. 8 Ball State in 3 sets
2/19/2026 8:59:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
The Buckeyes secure their first top 10 win of the season
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 13 Ohio State (8-4, 3-1) continued their Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) conference play Thursday with a 3-0 win over No. 8 Ball State (12-2, 4-1) at the Covelli Center. This is the Buckeyes' first Top 10 win since their 3-2 victory over No. 10 McKendree March 27, 2025.
The Buckeyes held the lead the entire first set, winning the set 25-20. Ohio State went on to take the second and third sets, 25-23 and 29-27.
The Buckeyes were led in kills by Shane Wetzel with 14. Stanislaw Chacinski added 10 and Eliel Salva-Torres put up nine.
Ohio State recorded a total of 13 blocks in three sets, Salva-Torres led the Buckeyes with six.
Captains Drew Hudson and Wetzel had seven digs apiece. Setter Daniel Henwood Rodriguez recorded 41 assists and three blocks.
Set 1 (25-20, OSU)
Ohio State started the first set with a kill from Daniel Hurley. Hurley put up a massive block that gave the Buckeyes a 3-0 lead. Shane Wetzel had his first kill of the match from the backrow to continue the Ohio State lead, 6-2. Ball State went on a small run that tied the set at 9-all. Daniel Henwood Rodriguez put up a huge block that extended the Buckeye lead, 12-9. A service ace by Hurley forced the Cardinals to call their first timeout, 15-10. A kill by Aaron Grimm gave Ohio State a four-point advantage, 19-15. Eliel Salva-Torres put up another kill for the Buckeyes, 21-19. Drew Hudson had a pair of massive digs during a long rally that set Salva-Torres up for another kill, 23-19. A service error by the Cardinals gave the Buckeyes their first set point, 24-20. Ohio State took set one, 25-20.
S1 | Hurley's block gets the bucks going!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/u8sePAwVWv
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) February 20, 2026
Buckeyes win Set 1! 25-20 #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/55s33VABIE
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) February 20, 2026
Set 2 (25-23, OSU)
Ball State took a small lead to start the second set, 2-1. The Buckeyes quickly tied it at 3-all. Another kill by Grimm gave Ohio State a 6-5 lead. The Buckeyes and the Cardinals kept it tight with another kill by Hurley tying it at 9-all. A consecutive kill by Stanislaw Chacinski and service ace by Salva-Torres gave Ohio State a one-point lead, 11-10. Another kill by Hurley kept the Buckeyes' lead, 14-13. Ball State went on a small 4-1 run that gave them a two-point advantage, 17-15. A net violation by the Cardinals tied it at 17-all. Chacinski tied it at 22-all with another huge kill. A service ace by Henwood Rodriguez gave Ohio State its first set point, 24-22. The Buckeyes took set two with another massive kill by Chacinski, 25-23.
S2 | Eliel ace! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ZIgZGAHIRw
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) February 20, 2026
S2 | Eliel keeps it going! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/QDYURKiJhD
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) February 20, 2026
Set 3 (29-27, OSU)
Wetzel had a service ace of his own that gave Ohio State a 2-1 lead to start the third set. The Cardinals went on a short 3-1 run that made it 5-3 Ball State. The Buckeyes started to close the scoring gap with a kill by Chacinski, 8-6. Consecutive kills by Salva-Torres and Chacinski put Ohio State back in it, 12-10 Cardinals. Henwood Rodriguez put up two massive solo blocks that tied the set at 12-all. Ohio State answered Ball State's run with a 5-1 run of their own to tie it at 13-all. The Cardinals took a two-point lead, 17-15. Consecutive kills by Grimm put the Buckeyes within one point, 18-17. Ball State continued their lead, 21-18. Ohio State got within one point utilizing a huge backrow attack from Chacinski, 22-21. Another kill by Chacinski tied the set at 22-all. Salva-Torres' kill out of the middle kept the Buckeyes in it at 23-all. Wetzel put up another kill for Ohio State in extra points that gave them their second match point, 25-24. Ball State got their first set point of the match, 26-25. Chacinski tied it at 26-all with a kill off the block from the right-side. The Buckeyes won the set with a massive block by Hurley and Salva-Torres, 29-27.
S3| 10 is on fire! Another one from El as we get going in the 3rd. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/QHWUMD35eI
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) February 20, 2026
Defense making plays! 21-22 in the 3rd #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/dwqYpln2CG
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) February 20, 2026
Up Next: The Buckeyes will battle the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons at 2 p.m., Saturday at the Covelli Center. The match will air on B1G+.
#GoBucks
