Nov. 12, 2005
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The 20th-ranked Ohio volleyball team became only the third team in the history of the Mid-American Conference to go undefeated in conference action in consecutive seasons when it defeated Bowling Green 3-1 (30-22, 30-17, 28-30, 30-21) here today.
The last team to march through a conference season undefeated two straight seasons was the 1993 and 1994 Ball State squads. Western Michigan went undefeated in MAC play from 1983-88.
The Bobcats are now 53-1 in MAC action under Head Coach Geoff Carlston. Ohio has won 40 straight contests over MAC foes and 18 straight overall. The Bobcats have not lost in nearly two months, with their last loss coming Sept. 16 against No. 14 Purdue.
Ohio's 16-0 conference mark featured 13 sweeps, including nine straight at one point. The Bobcats won 48 out of 52 games played against MAC competition this year. Ohio improves to 26-2 overall while Bowling Green falls to 8-8 in the MAC and 17-13 overall.
Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) had a strong outing for the Bobcats, leading the squad in kills for the fourth consecutive match. Blackburn finished with 20 kills, leading five Bobcats in double-digits.
Julia Winkfield (Newark, Ohio) tallied 19 kills on a team-best .543 hitting percentage. Jenna Gaughran (Centerville, Ohio) and Amanda Andersen (Lino Lakes, Minn.) each posted 13 kills while Melissa Griffin (Whitehall, Mich.) added 11.
Savanah Parra (Temecula, Calif.) set the Bobcat attack with 66 assists while helping the team to a .317 hitting percentage. Parra recorded 16 digs for her 10th double-double of the year and added a team-high two aces. Winkfield recorded one ace to move into sole possession of fourth place on Ohio's all-time aces list with 116 for her career.
Michaele Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) notched 23 digs and did not commit a receiving error for the second straight match. Stephanie Blackburn posted 15 digs for her team-best 12th double-double while Gaughran completed her second career double-double with 12 digs. Griffin and Andersen again led a great effort up front, combining for 14 blocks. Griffin matched her career-best with eight blocks marking the fifth consecutive match she has posted at least four blocks.
The Bobcats controlled the first frame from the opening serve, going up 5-1. Ohio kept the pressure on by increasing its lead to 14-4 following a Gaughran kill. The Falcons cut the Ohio lead to 16-10 but the Bobcats countered with four straight points to go up 20-10. Winkfield sealed the first game with her sixth kill of the game to give Ohio a 30-22 win.
Ohio built up a 13-4 lead in the second frame behind a 5-0 run. Bowling Green cut the lead to six at 14-8 but would get no closer the rest of the game. Andersen concluded the frame with a kill to give the Bobcats a game-high 13 point lead and a 30-17 game two win.
After dropping a closely contested third frame, Ohio finished off the Falcons in convincing fashion in the decisive fourth game. The Bobcats never trailed in the frame, gaining a ten-point edge at 19-9 following a Winkfield kill. Bowling Green trimmed the Ohio lead to five at 24-19 but the Bobcats finished off the Falcons with a 6-2 run and a 30-21 game four win.
Ohio finished the match with 77 kills and 180 attacks which were both the second-highest totals of the season for the team. The Bobcats hit at least .350 in three of the four game while holding Bowling Green to a .143 hitting percentage for the match.
With Ohio winning the regular season crown, it will receive a first round bye in the MAC Tournament next weekend. The Bobcats will be in action Friday during the quarterfinals of the tourney. Ohio's opponent and start time are still to be determined.
