Oct. 7, 2005
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio volleyball team defeated Mid-American Conference foe Ball State 3-0 (30-26, 30-23, 30-23) in front of a record crowd of 1,052 tonight at the Convocation Center.
"It was great to have that many people there," Head Coach Geoff Carlston said. "You could tell Ball State was a little intimidated and that helps us out a lot."
The Bobcats extend their home winning streak to 33 matches and extend their game winning streak to 21 with their seventh consecutive sweep. Ohio improves to 15-2 overall and 5-0 in MAC action while the Cardinals fall to 9-6 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
Holly Schetzsle (Pataskala, Ohio) and Melissa Griffin (Whitehall, Mich.) paced the Bobcat attack with 14 kills each. Schetzsle and Griffin were both very efficient with their swings with Schetzsle hitting a team-best .560 and Griffin .429. Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) added 13 kills while Amanda Andersen (Lino Lakes, Minn.) had her third straight match with double-digit kills with 10.
Savanah Parra (Temecula, Calif.) played a strong all-around game, leading Ohio in assists with 55 and digs with 11. Michaele and Stephanie Blackburn played a solid back row, combining for 20 digs, 10 each, and a perfect 68 of 68 on service receptions. Stephanie Blackburn's 10 digs completed her eighth double-double of the season. Griffin and Julia Winkfield (Newark, Ohio) led the defense up front with three blocks each.
The Bobcats hit over .300 for the third consecutive match and for the sixth time in the last seven in the win. Ohio held Ball State to a .281 hitting percentage, marking the 15th time in 17 matches the Bobcats have outhit their opponents.
"If we can have that many players close in on 10 kills, that's great for us," Carlston said. "Our opponent can not focus on one person when that happens and Savanah (Parra) does a good job of spreading the offense around."
The opening game saw Ohio reach 10 points first, gaining a 10-7 edge. The Bobcats were up 14-12 when the Cardinals went on a 6-2 run to grab an 18-16 lead. Ohio countered with a mini 3-1 run to even the score at 19. Schetzsle provided the Bobcat offense with a spark, connecting on three kills in propelling Ohio to a 24-22 lead. The teams traded points until Winkfield put down the game-ending kill to give Ohio a 30-26 frame one win.
The second frame was more of the same with the Cardinals staying with the Bobcats in the early going. Ohio scored eight of the next 12 points to grab an 18-13 lead. The Bobcats pushed the lead to seven following a Griffin kill and never looked back. Ohio played Ball State even the rest of the frame, taking a 2-0 game lead with a 30-23 decision.
The theme continued in the decisive third game with the Cardinals staying with Ohio in the early stages but the Bobcats taking over in the latter. The frame went back and forth with ties at 10 and 15 and then Ohio took over. The Bobcats ran off 10 of the next 14 points to grab a 25-20 lead and Ball State could not recover with Ohio winning the third game 30-23.
Ohio will be in action next when it plays Toledo at home tomorrow night. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
