COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 15 Ohio State (13-9) took No. 1 Penn State (18-3) the distance before winning in State College, 3-2, at Rec Hall.
The last time Ohio State defeated a No. 1-ranked team was at Rec Hall in State College in the 2016 NCAA Championship match vs. top-ranked BYU. No. 2 Ohio State defeated the Cougars 3-0.
The Nittany Lions fell behind 25-21 to the Buckeyes in the first set before winning the next two, 25-18 and 25-22. The Buckeyes won the fourth 25-21 to send the match to a fifth set where Ohio State claimed the 15-13 win.
Shane Wetzel led the Buckeyes with 15 kills. Jacob Pasteur and Jack Stevens followed with 12 each. Thomas Poole led both teams with 11 digs. Michael Wright was credited with 43 assists.
How it Happened
Set 1
Shane Wetzel, named earlier in the day the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week, got the Buckeyes off to a quick start with a pair of aces around a Penn State error for a 3-0 lead. Penn State called a timeout with the Buckeyes leading 6-1. The Nittany Lions rattled off the next three points before a Jacob Pasteur kill made it 7-4 Buckeyes. Jack Stevens put Ohio State up 11-6 on back-to-back kills. After the Buckeyes lead 13-7, Penn State went on a 6-1 run to make it 14-13 Buckeyes. After Ohio State called timeout, was able to keep the Nittany Lions at bay before building a 19-16 advantage after 4-1 run. Penn State called its second timeout after a Justin Howard kill made it 20-16 Buckeyes. A Stevens kill before a Kyle Teune ace made it 23-19 Buckeyes. Ohio State called timeout leading 24-21. Once back, Cole Young got the set-winning kill to put Ohio State up 1-0. The Buckeyes hit .227 while holding Penn State to .111. Stevens led the way with four kills.
S1| Buckeyes take set one 25-21 off a kill from Cole Young! pic.twitter.com/cC3CuSkEu8
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 21, 2023
S1| Stevens finds the hole in the PSU defense! pic.twitter.com/Gck5OdT30a
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 21, 2023
S1| Shane Wetzel down the line! Let's Go Bucks!👏 pic.twitter.com/KTIu8He3LI
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 21, 2023
S1| Buckeyes lead early on in set one, 6-1. Shane Wetzel has earned two aces. Penn State timeout.
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 21, 2023
Set 2
Penn State charged out to an 8-2 lead to open the second set. After an Ohio State timeout, the Nittany Lions maintained at least a five-point lead until a Wetzel kill and Penn State error made it 13-10 Penn State. The Nittany Lions then called timeout but the Buckeyes kept up their rally to make it 14-12 PSU. The Nittany Lions countered with a 3-0 run to go back up 17-12. Ohio State called timeout but Penn State was able to keep the lead and went on to win the set 25-18. The Nittany Lions hit .577 in the second while Ohio State hit a respectable .300. Stevens continued to lead in the kills department with seven.
Set 3
Ohio State took the first notable lead at 6-4 after a Stevens kill and Penn State error. A Wetzel kill made it 10-7 Buckeyes. Another Wetzel left-handed strike made it 13-9. The Nittany Lions called timeout after Ohio State went up 15-10. Penn State then went on a 5-1 run to close it to 16-15 Buckeyes. Ohio State then called timeout. The run continued with an Ohio State error that tied the set at 16-all. Penn State took its first lead since early in the set at 18-17. The Buckeyes tied the set four down the stretch but the Nittany Lions claimed a 23-21 lead and after an Ohio State timeout, finished off the set for a 25-22 win. The Buckeyes hit .348 while PSU hit .455 in the set. Wetzel tied Stevens for the lead in kills with nine.
S3| Wetzel with a kill! pic.twitter.com/UUevIsYbtJ
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 22, 2023
Set 4
Ohio State took the early lead at 7-4 on a Pasteur kill. Penn State then took an 8-7 lead but Ohio State used a 4-1 run to go back up 11-9. Penn State called timeout after a Wetzel ace put the Buckeyes in the lead at 12-9. Wetzel and Teune kills put Ohio State up 15-11. The Buckeyes maintained its four-point edge at 18-14 after a 3-1 run. A Wetzel kill and a Nittany Lion error led to a Penn State timeout with the Buckeyes leading 21-15. Penn State rallied to cut it to 23-20 Buckeyes before an Ohio State timeout. Ohio State reached set point on a Pasteur kill before he added another for to win the set, 25-21, and tie the match at 2-all. Ohio State hit .500 in the fourth, doubling up Penn State (.250). Wetzel took over the team lead in kills with 14. Pasteur also was in double figures with 10.
S4| Pasteur with a kill to finish off set four, 25-21. 🙌Buckeyes send the match to a fifth set here in Happy Valley! pic.twitter.com/N3uDglXsKH
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 22, 2023
S4| Point Buckeyes off a Wetzel kill! pic.twitter.com/NEElGyS9Xz
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 22, 2023
S4| Kyle Teune with the overpass kill🙌 pic.twitter.com/j6QLQukxCc
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 22, 2023
Set 5
Wetzel started the fifth and final set with a kill in the race to 15. The Buckeyes took a 3-1 lead on a Young kill. Penn State tied it at 3-all before taking the lead on back-to-back aces. The teams began to trade points until the Nittany Lions took an 8-5 lead following a 4-1 run. Ohio State called timeout and rallied to cut it to 9-8 Nittany Lions. The Buckeyes remained down one until a pair of PSU errors tied the set at 11-all. The Nittany Lions called timeout before Pasteur gave the Buckeyes the lead (12-11) with a kill. Penn State reclaimed the lead at 13-12 with a kill and Ohio State error. The Buckeyes called timeout and then took a 14-13 lead on a Pasteur kill and Cole Young ace. Penn State then called a timeout before another Young ace gave the match to the Buckeyes, 3-2 after a 15-13 win.
S5|Cole Young with BACK TO BACK ACES to finish off set 5 as the Buckeyes knock off no.1 ranked Penn State. pic.twitter.com/lLzBe2Qyku
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 22, 2023
S5| COLE. YOUNG. ACE.
Timeout Penn State as Buckeyes are at match point. pic.twitter.com/jrKZsDe9nv
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 22, 2023
S5| Buckeyes take the lead!! pic.twitter.com/JOqMT3UZOP
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 22, 2023
Up Next
The Buckeyes play the next two matches at the Covelli Center in Columbus starting with a 7 p.m. battle with Lindenwood Friday (7 p.m./B1G+). The homestand continues Saturday when Quincy takes the floor for a 4 p.m. match, also on B1G+.
#GoBucks
