Oct. 30, 2014
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Scores: Ohio 3, Kent State 1 (25-22, 25-16, 25-27, 25-22)
Location: Kent, Ohio (M.A.C. Center)
Records: Ohio 18-4 (11-0 MAC), Kent State 12-12 (4-7 MAC)
THE BASICS
• The Ohio volleyball team (18-4, 11-0 MAC) is off to its best start in seven years and extended its winning streak to 12 straight matches after sweeping the season series from Mid-American Conference East Division rival Kent State (12-12, 4-7 MAC) on Thursday (Oct. 30) at the M.A.C. Center.
• The Bobcats have won 17 of their last 18 matches and have opened league play with 11 straight wins for the first time since going a perfect 16-0 in 2006.
• Freshman outside hitter Jaime Kosiorek (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) shined in her return to northeast Ohio, totaling a match-high 18 kills and five service aces to go along with two assisted blocks, four digs and an assist. The rookie has posted double-digit kills 11 times and has recorded at least five service aces twice in 2014.
• Senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti (Cary, Ill.) earned her fifth double-double in the last seven matches, 11th of the season and 60th of her career with 16 kills and 13 digs. She also tallied two service aces and three assists. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division pick has totaled double-digit kills in 20 of 22 matches in 2014 -- including seven straight.
• Junior middle blocker Karin Bull (Bloomington, Minn.) -- the reigning MAC East Division Defensive Player of the Week -- contributed seven kills and led the match with five assisted blocks. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division selection has recorded 5.0 or more total blocks nine times this season.
• Junior setter Abby Gilleland (Bull Valley, Ill.) distributed a match-high 49 assists to go along with seven kills, three assisted blocks and 11 digs. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division honoree has tallied 40 or more assists on nine occasions this year.
• Junior libero Meredith Ashy (Louisville, Ky.) totaled a match-high 24 digs, marking the 10th time in 2014 she has compiled 20 or more digs.
• Freshman outside hitter Kelsey Bittinger led the Golden Flashes with 11 kills while junior middle blocker Bridget Wilhelm chipped in 10 and tallied Kent State's lone service ace. Freshman setter Brittney Jakscht handed out a team-high 44 assists and added a team-high 4.0 total blocks (one solo, three assisted). Three Flashes tallied double-digit digs, with freshman defensive specialist/libero Challen Geraghty totaling a match-high 28 and senior defensive specialist/libero Kaylee Koller and junior defensive specialist Sarah Mills pitching in 15 and 12, respectively.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Ohio broke a six-all tie in the opening set with an 11-6 run to take a 17-12 lead, thanks in large part to two kills and a service ace by Kosiorek and two kills by senior middle blocker/outside hitter Hannah Burkle (Crystal Lake, Ill.). Kent State countered with a 9-4 run to even things up at 21-all, but Kosiorek put her team on her back to give the Bobcats the 1-0 match lead, tallying three kills and a service ace down the stretch.
• The Bobcats jumped out to a dominating 21-11 lead in the second set, using four kills by Lamberti, three by Kosiorek and Burkle, two by Bull and double blocks by Gilleland and Bull, Kosiorek and junior middle blocker/outside hitter Shelby Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) and Bull and Kosiorek. The Golden Flashes trimmed Ohio's lead to seven at 23-16 with a 5-2 run, but an attack error by Kent State and a kill by Walker extended Ohio's match lead to 2-0.
• Kent State edged Ohio in a back-and-forth third set that featured 17 ties, forcing a fourth set.
• With the fourth set tied at seven-all, Ohio produced a 12-8 run that saw Lamberti post two kills, Kosiorek tally a kill and a service ace and Gilleland and Bull team up for a double block. The Flashes retaliated with a 7-1 run to take a 21-20 lead, but Ohio rose up and closed out the win by scoring five of the match's final six points. Lamberti recorded a kill and a service ace, Gilleland added a kill and Ashy ended the match with a service ace.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
• First-year head coach Deane Webb is off to the best start to an Ohio volleyball coaching tenure since Geoff Carlston led the Bobcats to a 23-3 start out of the gate in 2003.
QUOTABLE
"Tonight was a challenging match. Give credit to Kent State for playing very hard throughout the match and making it a difficult one for us. We are happy to earn a conference win, even if it wasn't the best volleyball we've played. I am thankful that our team played hard and played together, and we emotionally responded well in tough situations." - First-year head coach Deane Webb
WHAT'S NEXT
Ohio returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center on Saturday (Nov. 1), playing host to MAC West Division foe Eastern Michigan (15-10, 6-5 MAC) in a 7 p.m. ET tilt.
The Eagles outlasted MAC West Division rival Central Michigan, 3-2 (25-23, 25-16, 21-25, 27-29, 15-13) as Eastern Michigan won its fourth straight.
Senior setter Jill Briner paced Eastern Michigan, tallying a triple-double with a match-high 46 assists to go along with 10 kills and 13 digs. Junior outside hitter Stacey Perinar achieved a double-double with a team-high 14 kills in addition to 15 digs. Senior middle blocker Megan Crawshaw led the Eagles with 7.0 total blocks (one solo, six assisted) to go along with 13 kills. Redshirt junior middle blocker Katie Krasowski contributed 11 kills while redshirt junior middle blocker Kelsey Jones pitched in 10. Each chipped in 5.0 total blocks (one solo, four assisted). Senior defensive specialist Natalie Folk and junior libero Corynne Smith tied for the team lead with 18 digs. Folk led the match with three service aces.
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