Scores: Ohio 3, Buffalo 0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-16)

Location: Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

Records: Ohio 10-4 (3-0 MAC), Buffalo 12-5 (2-1 MAC)

 

THE BASICS

• The Ohio volleyball team (10-4, 3-0 MAC) rolled to a 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-16) sweep of Mid-American Conference East Division foe Buffalo (12-5, 2-1 MAC) on Friday (Oct. 3) at the Convocation Center.

• The Bobcats are off to a 3-0 start to conference play under first-year head coach Deane Webb and have won nine of their last 10 matches -- including four straight.

• Ohio dominated all facets of the contest, outhitting the Bulls by a .312-.090 count and outblocking Buffalo, 9-3. The Bobcats forced Buffalo into 19 attack errors. 

• Freshman outside hitter Jaime Kosiorek (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) paced the Bobcat attack with a match-high 11 kills, hitting at a .368 clip. She has recorded double-digit kills seven times during her rookie campaign -- including five of the past eight matches. She added a match-high three service aces and two digs.

• Senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti (Cary, Ill.) totaled 10 kills, two total blocks (one solo, one assisted), a service ace, two assists and seven digs. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division pick has posted double-digit kills in each of the last 13 matches.

• Junior middle blocker Karin Bull (Bloomington, Minn.) recorded a match-high five total blocks (one solo, four assisted), marking the seventh time in 2014 she has totaled at least five blocks and fifth time in the last six matches. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division selection also compiled three kills. 

• Junior setter Abby Gilleland (Bull Valley, Ill.) -- the reigning MAC East Division Co-Offensive Player of the Week -- tallied a match-high 31 assists to go along with six kills, four assisted blocks and seven digs. The 2014 All-MAC East Division pick attacked at a match-best .750 pace.

• Senior middle blocker/outside hitter Hannah Burkle (Crystal Lake, Ill.) contributed six kills and two assisted blocks while junior middle blocker/outside hitter Shelby Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) posted five kills and three assisted blocks.

• Junior libero Meredith Ashy (Louisville, Ky.) piled up a match-high 13 digs. The reigning MAC East Division Defensive Player of the Week has tallied double-digit digs in all 14 of Ohio's matches in 2014.

• Junior middle blocker Amber Hatchett led Buffalo with nine kills while freshman outside hitter Skyler Day totaled a team-high two total blocks (one solo, one assisted). Sophomore setter Megan Lin handed out a team-high 26 assists and tied junior outside hitter Megan Lipski for the team lead with seven digs.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ohio jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the opening set and never looked back, allowing the Bobcats to go a perfect 10-0 when winning the opening set in 2014. Kills by Burkle and Lamberti, a service ace by Kosiorek and a double block by Lamberti and Walker allowed the 'Cats to take the early five-point edge. The Bulls trimmed the Ohio advantage to four at 8-4, but the Bobcats responded by rattling off a 9-3 run to take a commanding 17-7 lead. The stretch was highlighted by two kills apiece by Bull and Kosiorek and a double block by Bull and Gilleland. Buffalo answered with three straight points out of a timeout, but a 6-3 stretch swelled the Ohio lead back to 10 at 23-13 courtesy of two kills by Burkle and kills by Lamberti and Bull. A kill by Gilleland gave Ohio set point at 24-14, but two straight attack errors by the Bobcats allowed Buffalo to shave its deficit back to eight. Lamberti sealed the deal, though, with her fourth kill to give the Bobcats the set victory.

• The Bulls scored the first five points of the second set, but Ohio answered the challenge with a 7-2 run that tied things up at seven-all. Two kills by Lamberti, a kill by Kosiorek and service aces by redshirt sophomore setter/defensive specialist Aubree Hord (Loveland, Ohio) and sophomore setter/defensive specialist Brooke Coleman (Plano, Texas) sparked the rally. The two squads traded points back-and-forth until the Bobcats closed the set out on a 10-4 run that featured two kills by Lamberti, kills by Kosiorek, Gilleland and Walker and double blocks by Gilleland and Bull and Walker and Gilleland.

• The third set saw Ohio race out to a 17-7 lead, using four kills and a service ace by Kosiorek and kills by Burkle, Walker, Lamberti, Gilleland and sophomore outside hitter/libero Mallory Salis (Oak Lawn, Ill.) as the catalyst. A late 7-6 spurt by Buffalo trimmed Ohio's advantage to eight at 22-14, but the Bobcats used a kill by Gilleland and two more from Kosiorek to close out the sweep. Kosiorek totaled six kills and hit at a .714 clip in the final set.

 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Ohio has taken 32 of the 34 all-time meetings against Buffalo -- including eight straight.

 

QUOTABLE 

• "For us, it really started with the serve. They were really out of system a lot, and so they had to set the ball to their outsides, sometimes from some uncomfortable positions. That allowed our block to be there, be waiting for them, and our kids finished it." â€" First-year head coach Deane Webb

 

WHAT'S NEXT

Ohio closes out the second weekend of league play by hosting another MAC East Division rival as Akron (7-11, 1-2 MAC) visits the Convo. 

 

The Zips dropped a 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 25-22) decision at crosstown rival Kent State on Friday at the M.A.C. Center. Freshman outside hitter Anna Wenger led Akron with a team-high 11 kills to go along with two assisted blocks, six digs and an assist. Senior middle blocker Mary Delich chipped in 10 kills, a team-high six total blocks (one solo, five assisted) and three digs. Sophomore setter Karley Kusan passed out a match-high 38 assists. On the defensive end, freshman defensive specialist Aubrey Kozer tallied a team-high 10 digs.

 

Saturday's match against the Zips has been designated as the Bobcats 'Dig Pink Night' for the Side-Out Foundation. The student-athletes will be wearing special pink uniforms to help celebrate the night. Fans are encouraged to come to the Convo early to receive free pink ribbons. Fans can contribute to the Side-Out Foundation's Dig Pink Rally here.  

 

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