Dec. 3, 2005
2005 NCAA Volleyball Tournament Bracket
Box Score | Photo Gallery
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio volleyball team exacted revenge on Ohio State, sweeping the Buckeyes 3-0 (30-27, 30-23, 30-22) to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
The Bobcats were swept by Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year but flipped the script on the Buckeyes this time around. Ohio went into Ohio State's St. John Arena and made the Buckeyes the first seeded team to fall in the NCAA Tournament.
Two records, one team and one individual, fell in the winning effort. The victory over Ohio State gave the Bobcats their 33rd win on the year, which are the most wins ever recorded by a Mid-American Conference program.
Michaele Blackburn recorded 16 digs on the night, moving her into first place on Ohio's all-time digs list. Blackburn finished the night with 1,530 digs in overtaking Brenda Bailey for the top spot on the program's digs list.
Senior Co-Captains Julia Winkfield (Newark, Ohio) and Holly Schetzsle (Pataskala, Ohio) paced the offense with 13 and 11 kills, respectively. Winkfield and Schetzsle were both extremely efficient with their swings, combining to hit .489 from the floor.
Savanah Parra (Temecula, Calif.) set the Bobcat attack with 38 assists despite playing half the match with severe cramps in her thighs. Parra began cramping midway through the second game, which forced her to miss a small stretch in that frame. She returned later in the second game and tallied 14 assists in the decisive third frame despite playing in noticeable pain.
Michaele Blackburn's (Cincinnati, Ohio) 16 digs led both teams. Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Parra each posted seven digs. Melissa Griffin (Whitehall, Mich.) recorded a game-high seven blocks while Amanda Andersen (Lino Lakes, Minn.) contributed five.
The opening frame saw 13 ties and three lead changes in a highly competitive game. The Bobcats gained the first substantial lead midway through the frame. With the score tied at 12, Ohio ran off three straight points to gain a 15-12 edge. A Griffin kill gave Ohio an 18-14 lead but the Buckeyes took six of the next eight points to even the score at 20.
Ohio State took a 23-22 lead but the Bobcats countered with a 4-0 run to regain the lead at 26-23. The Buckeyes closed to within one at 28-27 but Ohio took the final two points of the frame. Griffin sixth kill of the game put away Ohio State and gave the Bobcats a 30-27 win.
The Ohio offense showed no signs of jitters in the opening frame, connecting at a .350 clip. Griffin led the Bobcats with six kills in the game with Winkfield adding five. The Ohio defense was impressive in its own right, holding Ohio State to a .227 hitting percentage.
The Bobcats refused to let up on the Buckeyes in the second game. Ohio grabbed an early 6-1 advantage and kept the pressure on Ohio State. The Buckeyes cut Ohio's lead to three on four occasions but could get no closer to the Bobcats. Consecutive kills from Andersen and Schetzsle gave Ohio the 30-23 game two win.
The Bobcat defense continued its strong play in the second frame, holding the Buckeyes to a negative .081 hitting percentage. Schetzsle led the offense with four kills in the game with Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) adding three.
The Ohio offense had one of its finest games of the season in the third and deciding frame. Ohio State held an early 6-4 edge but the Bobcats replied with a 5-1 run to take a 9-7 lead. The Buckeyes came back to tie the score at 10 but Ohio once again answered the bell, running off three straight to gain a 13-10 edge.
The Bobcats followed with a 4-0 run shortly thereafter to grab an 18-12 advantage. Ohio State would close to within four at 20-16 but the Ohio offense was too much. Winkfield put away a Parra pass on the match's final point to send the Bobcats to California and the Sweet 16.
Ohio hit .455 for the frame with Winkfield and Schetzsle leading the way. Each tallied six kills with Winkfield hitting .667 and Schetzsle .625 in the game.
The Bobcat defense had one of its finest efforts in holding Ohio State, third in the Big Ten with a .262 hitting percentage in the regular season, to only a .132 clip. The offense did its part, connecting at a .293 rate.
Ohio advances to play fourth-seeded Arizona in the Palo Alto Regional Semifinals. Arizona defeated Utah State in the first round and took out Utah 3-1 in the second to advance. The Bobcats and the Wildcats will face off Friday with the start time still to be determined.
