Nov. 5, 2011
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio Volleyball recorded 10 blocks in the final two sets to rally and defeat Central Michigan on Saturday night, 25-23, 24-26, 18-25, 25-15, 15-10. Four Bobcats surpassed 10 kills on the evening as the team improved to 19-9, 11-3 in MAC play.
Chelsea Bilger and Kelly Lamberti each finished with 14 kills and 13 digs, recording double-doubles for the Bobcats. Katie Post had 12 kills and seven blocks, tying her with Faith Robins for the team lead. Lexie Hartnett added 11 kills and five blocks for the ‘Cats.
Bailey Karst led Ohio with 41 assists and the freshman also had 14 digs. She was one of five Ohio players to register 10 or more digs with Mollie Geske recording 15 and Nicole Staverman notching 14.
Ohio trailed 10-7 in the first set but rallied to take a two-point lead with a five-point run that was capped by a Lamberti ace. The Bobcats were ahead by three points before CMU tied things up, 20-20. After an Ohio timeout, Bilger recorded consecutive kills before Post and Robins combined on a block.
After the Chippewas cut the gap to 24-23, Ohio used its final timeout and Bilger won the set with her seventh kill. The Bobcats hit a match-high .244 in the first stanza and Geske racked up a match-best seven digs.
Trailing 4-1 in the second set, Ohio bounced back and took a 7-6 lead on another Bilger kill. After a service error by Post knotted things at 10, the ‘Cats scored the next three points. An ace by Karst put Ohio up 13-10 and the lead reached four points at 19-15. However, CMU responded with a five-point run to retake the lead.
The teams traded points until the score reached 24-24. The Chippewas got back-to-back kills from Lindsey Dulude to even the match at one apiece. Hartnett and Post led Ohio with four kills each in the set and the redshirt sophomore added two blocks.
The third set was tied 13-13 before a six-point run for CMU. Ohio cut the gap to four at 22-18 before the visitors scored the final three points to win the set 25-18 and take a 2-1 lead in the match. CMU hit .306 in the set and blocked a match-best six Bobcat attempts.
Ohio led the fourth set 9-8 before running off seven-straight points behind the strong serving of Lamberti. The freshman closed the set with her 12th kill of the match as Ohio won by double-digits, 25-15, and evened the match at two sets apiece. Ohio’s blocking also picked up in the fourth set, knocking down five Chippewa attack attempts.
In the fifth set, play went back-and-forth and Ohio led 11-10 with the Chippewas holding serve. Hartnett and Lamberti each recorded kills and Hartnett then teamed with Robins on consecutive blocks to end the match. Hartnett finished with three kills in the set while Post notched four blocks of her own.
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Ohio trails Western Michigan and Northern Illinois by one match in the standings. The Bobcats host Buffalo on Friday night at 7 p.m. and Akron on Saturday night at the same time. The match with the Zips will also be Senior Night at The Convo.
