Sept. 8, 2007
Box Score
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Senior co-captains Melissa Griffin (Whitehall, Mich.) and Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) had 16 kills and 13 kills respectively, to lead the No. 13 Ohio volleyball team to a 3-0 (30-23, 30-25, 36-34) victory against the College of Charleston in the second day of the Shamrock Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame. The win ends a two-match skid for the Bobcats, improving their record to 5-2, while Charleston falls to 3-3.
For the first time this year Ohio had four players finish with double digit kills in the match. Sophomore middle blocker Jane Sytsma (Madison, Wis.) totaled 11 kills and sophomore outside hitter Ellen Herman (Toledo, Ohio) had 12 kills, joining Blackburn and Griffin's double figure kill totals. Griffin's season-high 16 kills came on an impressive .577 hitting percentage, in which the middle blocker committed just one attack error in 26 attempts. Blackburn, who had played the previous three matches at libero, made the seamless transition back to her usual outside hitter position, recording a double-double with a season-high 13 kills and 10 digs. Herman matched her kill total with 12 digs to post her third double-double of the season. Freshman setter Michelle Jantsch (Mission Hills, Kansas) had a solid all-around performance, with a match-high 51 assists, six digs and four blocks.
Ohio built a 7-1 advantage to begin game one and never relinquished the lead, winning the game 30-23. Charleston trimmed the deficit to 17-15, but the Bobcats won the next four points to end the Cougars' comeback hopes. Ohio connected on a .316 hitting percentage in the opening game and had 16 kills, while holding Charleston to 12 kills on a .094 hitting percentage.
In the second game the Bobcats out-hit the Cougars .316 to .108 and totaled 18 kills en route to a 30-25 win. Ohio trailed 17-16, but ended the game on a 14-8 run, to win pulling away.
Charleston built a 10-7 lead to begin game three and maintained the lead until the final points of the game. The Cougars were a point away from winning the game, with a 29-25 lead, but the Bobcats scored the next four points to tie the game at 29-29. The game continued to a 34-34 tie, when Griffin connected on a kill to put the `Cats up one, followed by a Charleston setting error, giving Ohio the 36-34 victory.
The Bobcats close out the Shamrock Invitational against tournament host Notre Dame, tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
