Sept. 13, 2009
Final Stats
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio Bobcats (8-2) extended their winning streak to three games with a four-set victory over Missouri State (7-4) on Sunday to close out the 2009 Hampton Inn Invitational hosted by Ohio.
Ohio battled back from a 12-6 deficit in the first game to tie the contest at 15 points. The Bobcats outscored the Bears 10-5 down the stretch behind four service points apiece from juniors Michelle Jantsch (Mission Hills, Kan.) and Meryl Bender (Yorktown, Ind.).
Despite Ohio's defense denying the Bears on three consecutive match points to tie the set at 24 all, Missouri State earned a 26-24 victory in set two. The Bobcats closed the match by allowing Missouri State just 27 points in the final two games, winning 25-12 and 25-15 in games three and four, respectively.
In the third set, Ohio dominated at the net, hitting .379 with just three errors in 29 attempts. At one point, senior Jane Sytsma (Madison, Wis.) rattled off kills on four straight points to push Ohio to a 16-2 lead.
Sytsma finished the match with seven total blocks and 11 kills. Fellow senior Ellen Herman (Toledo, Ohio) had 15 kills and 11 digs, while junior Sue Jacobi (Louisville, Ky.) added 10 kills and four total blocks.
Jantsch finished with a game-high 43 assists and also contributed six kills on nine attempts, with no errors, for a .667 hitting percentage. Senior Meghan Simons (Lancaster, Ohio) and sophomore Katie Post (Streamwood, Ill.) both hit better than .400 at the net as well, combing for 16 kills on 30 attempts.
Senior Sarah Petrulis (Westlake, Ohio) paced the Ohio defense with 16 digs and served up two of the Bobcats' aces in the match.
Ohio Volleyball will be in action again on Friday, Sept. 18 against host Purdue as part of the Purdue Active Ankle Challenge. The Bobcats will take on the Boilermakers Friday at 7 p.m. before taking on Illinois on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Herman and Petrulis were named to the All-Tournament team for the Bobcats, while Calli Norman earned the distinction for Missouri State. Indiana's Caitlin Cox, Ashley Benson and Kelsey Hall were named to the team as well, with Cox earning Tourney MVP honors.
Ohio returns to the Convo on Sept. 24, hosting Kent State in its Mid-American Conference opener.
