Sept. 18, 2010
ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio Volleyball lost in the final of the TCU Nike Invitational this afternoon to the host Horned Frogs, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 23-25, 23-25).
"I like the effort and talent. I'm just disappointed in the consistency," Head Coach Ryan Theis said. We just need to turn the page and increase the amount of time we're playing at a high level. I still think we'll be peaking at the end of the year."
Sue Jacobi and Faith Robins made the all-tournament team for Ohio (8-5). Jacobi finished with a match-high 25 kills and 21 digs. Katie Post and Robins had 10 kills each while Robins, Post and Lexie Hartnett each had four blocks. Michelle Jantsch finished with a match-high 43 assists, 20 digs and four kills.
"Sue continued to emerge as a six rotation player and she is already awfully good," Theis said. "Faith is becoming a better complement to Sue on the other side of the court and Katie played better than her numbers showed."
In the first set, Ohio never led by more than three points and actually trailed by as many as two (12-10), but was able to take a 1-0 lead in the match. The quartet of Jacobi, Robins, Katie Post and Lexie Hartnett had 16 of Ohio's 18 kills as the Bobcats grabbed an early lead.
"Late in game one we converted and made plays," Theis said. "In game three, same situation, we missed opportunities. We were up and down and TCU kept playing the same. The thing we are most consistent with is our inconsistency. Our play is what dictates whether we win or lose the match."
In the second set, TCU scored the first six points and took their largest lead at 17-7. The Bobcats still trailed 22-12 before taking six of the next eight points to trim the lead to 24-18. Reigning MWC Player of the Week Irene Hester then picked up her fifth kill of the set to even the match, 1-1. TCU hit .519 during the set while eight different Bobcats earned kills.
Set number three started with Ohio taking a 6-1 lead after an ace by Mandy Nichols but TCU would come all the way back and tie the set, 12-12. Five of the next seven points went to the Bobcats though and a kill by Jacobi made it 17-14. It was still a three-point lead for the Green & White at 22-19 but the Horned Frogs scored six of the next seven points (three kills, an ace, two Ohio errors) for a 2-1 lead in the match. Jacobi had her best set of the afternoon with eight kills and helped Ohio hit .316 as a team.
The fourth set was even through 34 points before TCU scored three-straight points for a 20-17 lead. The quick burst led to a Bobcat timeout but could not stop the scoring from the opposition. The lead grew to five but Ohio scored five of the next six points and an ace by Jantsch cut the lead to 24-23 and gave the 'Cats possession. TCU was able to respond and got a kill from Kristen Hester to end the match.
Ohio once again held the edge in kills (62-54) and blocks (8-7) but were really unable to get any breaks in the match.
"Every break fell to TCU today," Theis said. "Every ball within six inches of the line they were getting points on."
The 'Cats open MAC action this Thursday evening in the Convo at 7 p.m. against Kent State.
