Scores: No. 26 Ohio 3, Miami 0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-15)

Location: Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

Records: No. 26 Ohio 23-4 (16-0 MAC), Miami 19-9 (12-4 MAC)

 

THE BASICS

• The No. 26-ranked Ohio volleyball team (23-4, 16-0 MAC) completed its quest for a perfect 16-0 Mid-American Conference season with a dominating 3-0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-15) 'Battle of the Bricks' sweep of archrival Miami (19-9, 12-4 MAC) on Senior Night Saturday (Nov. 15) at the Convocation Center.

• Ohio went 16-0 in MAC play for the fourth time in program history and first time since 2006. 

• The 2014 MAC regular season champion Bobcats reeled off their 17th straight win and have won 22 of their last 23 since starting the 2014 campaign 1-3.

• Deane Webb became the first head coach in the history of the program to post a perfect 16-0 MAC record in his first season on the Bobcat bench.

• Ohio swept the 2014 regular season series from the RedHawks and have come away victorious in each of the last 11 matches against Miami. The `Cats edged Miami, 3-2 (25-18, 21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 15-8) on Oct. 10 at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio.

• The Bobcats dominated the box score, outhitting (.378-.118), outblocking (7.0-3.0) and outdigging (40-35) the RedHawks in addition to winning the service battle, 7-0.

• Senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti (Cary, Ill.) left an impact in her final home MAC regular season match, tallying a team-high 12 kills to go along with an assisted block and a team-high 10 digs. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division pick has recorded nine double-doubles in her last 12 matches, 15 this season and 64 in her career while reaching double-digit kills in 25 of 27 matches in 2014.

• Junior middle blocker Karin Bull (Bloomington, Minn.) led the match with five assisted blocks and tallied six kills. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division selection has posted 5.0 or more total blocks 11 times this season.

• Senior outside hitter/middle blocker Hannah Burkle (Crystal Lake, Ill.) totaled six kills and four assisted blocks in her home MAC regular season finale. 

• Junior setter Abby Gilleland (Bull Valley, Ill.) handed out a match-high 28 assists to go along with four kills, two service aces, 2.0 total blocks (one solo, one assisted) and six digs.

• Redshirt sophomore setter/defensive specialist Aubree Hord (Loveland, Ohio) tallied a career-high three service aces to lead the match. Freshman outside hitter Jaime Kosiorek (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) also posted two service aces to go along with three kills. 

• Junior outside hitter Annie Reiswig led the RedHawks with nine kills and matched sophomore middle hitter Paige Hill and freshman outside hitter/right side hitter Katie Tomasic for the team lead with one solo block. Freshman defensive specialist Maeve McDonald tied Lamberti for the match lead with 10 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ohio turned an eight-all tie into a 12-point victory in the opening set, outscoring Miami by a 17-5 count down the stretch thanks to three kills apiece by Lamberti, and Burkle, two kills, a solo block and a service ace by Gilleland and a double block by Bull and Burkle.

• The Bobcats snatched an early 7-1 advantage in the second stanza courtesy of kills by Lamberti, Bull and Burkle and a pair of double blocks by Burkle and Bull. The RedHawks put together a 4-2 run to trim the Ohio lead to four at 9-5, but that's as close as Miami got as the Bobcats rolled to an 11-point victory and a 2-0 match lead. Ohio's push to the two-set lead was powered by three kills apiece by Lamberti and junior middle blocker/outside hitter Shelby Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) and two more by Burkle.

• Ohio quickly turned a three-all tie in the third set into a 10-point cushion at 21-11, utilizing three kills by Lamberti, two by Bull and back-to-back service aces by Hord. Miami pieced together a 4-3 spurt to cut Ohio's lead down to nine at 24-15, but a kill by Lamberti fittingly put the exclamation point on Ohio's perfect MAC season.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The senior trio of Lamberti, Burkle and outside hitter Chelsea Bilger have helped the Bobcats amass 96 victories, three MAC East Division titles, three MAC regular season crowns and the 2013 league tournament championship and an NCAA Championship appearance during their time in Athens.

QUOTABLE

• "We have so much more chemistry than any team that I've ever really been a part of. Everyone on this team wants to play for each other. 16-0 is amazing." - Senior middle blocker/outside hitter Hannah Burkle

WHAT'S NEXT

By virtue of winning the 2013 MAC regular season championship, Ohio will host this year's league tournament next weekend (Nov. 21-24) at the Convocation Center. As the league's 2014 regular season champion and No. 1 seed, the Bobcats earned a double-bye to the MAC semifinals and will play next Sunday (Nov. 23) at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Fans can purchase tickets to the 2014 MAC Championship by clicking here.

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