Scores: Ohio 3, Central Michigan 1 (25-11, 21-25, 25-18, 25-20)

Location: Mount Pleasant, Mich. (McGuirk Arena)

Records: Ohio 9-4 (2-0 MAC), Central Michigan 6-8 (1-1 MAC)

 

THE BASICS

• The Ohio University volleyball team (9-4, 2-0 MAC) capped off a 2-0 start to 2014 Mid-American Conference play by downing host Central Michigan University (6-8, 1-1 MAC), 3-1 (25-11, 21-25, 25-18, 25-20) on Saturday (Sept. 27) at McGuirk in its first league road match of the season.

• The Bobcats have won eight of their last nine matches since starting the season 1-3.

• Senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti (Cary, Ill.) led Ohio with a match-high 13 kills to go along with eight digs, three assists and a solo block. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division selection and reigning MAC East Division Offensive Player of the Week has tallied double-digit kills in each of the last 12 matches. 

• Junior middle blocker Karin Bull (Bloomington, Minn.) tallied nine kills and added three assisted blocks to tie for the team lead. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division selection also notched two digs and hit at a team-best .467 clip with just two attack errors.

• Junior setter Abby Gilleland (Bull Valley, Ill.) totaled a match-high 40 set assists, marking the sixth time in 2014 the 2013 MAC Player of the Year has posted at least 40 set assists -- including six of the last eight matches and two straight. The 2014 Preseason All-MAC East Division pick contributed eight kills to Ohio’s cause, attacking at a .462 pace. She also matched Bull for the team lead with three assisted blocks in addition to tallying three digs and two service aces.

• Sophomore outside hitter/libero Mallory Salis (Oak Lawn, Ill.) posted seven kills and six digs.

• Junior libero Meredith Ashy (Louisville, Ky.) tallied a match-high 26 digs, marking the sixth time in 2014 she has tallied 20 or more digs -- including five times in the last eight matches and two in a row. She also recorded a match-high three service aces.

• Senior outside hitter Kaitlyn McIntyre -- the reigning MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week -- led the Chippewas with 11 kills. She also recorded nine digs. Junior middle blocker Angelique White led the match with five total blocks -- including a match-high two solo blocks to go along with three assisted blocks.  Freshman setter Kylie Copple handed out a team-high 29 assists while junior defensive specialist Kristen Reenders totaled a team-high 16 digs on the defensive end.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bobcats won the opening set by 14 points for the second straight match, matching their most lopsided set victory of the season. Ohio raced out to a 10-1 lead courtesy of two kills by Lamberti, two kills by junior middle blocker/outside hitter Shelby Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) and service aces by freshman outside hitter Jaime Kosiorek (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore setter/defensive specialist Aubree Hord (Loveland, Ohio). Central Michigan cut Ohio’s lead to 12-4, but the 'Cats proceeded to rattle off an 8-1 run to make it 20-5. The stretch was highlighted by kills by Bull and Salis, a service ace by Ashy, a solo block by Kosiorek and a double block by Gilleland and Walker. A 6-3 run by the Chippewas closed the gap to 23-11, but a kill by senior middle blocker/outside hitter Hannah Burkle (Crystal Lake, Ill.) and an attack error by Central Michigan gave Ohio a 1-0 match lead.

• Central Michigan tied the match up in a back-and-forth second set, breaking a 20-all tie by closing the set victory out with a 5-1 run

• The third set featured another back-and-forth affair, with the two squads trading points to build things up to a 16-all tie. It was all Bobcats from there, though, as Ohio grabbed a 2-1 match lead courtesy of a 9-2 run that featured kills by Bull and Walker, a service ace by Ashy and a double block by Bull and Gilleland.

• The 'Cats broke an eight-all tie in the fourth set with a 12-4 run. Three kills by Lamberti and two apiece by Gilleland and Salis highlighted the stretch. The Chippewas cut Ohio’s lead down to four twice at 14-10 and 16-12), but two kills by Salis, another by Gilleland and a solo block by Lamberti strung together four straight points for the Bobcats to make it a 20-12 set. A service ace by Ashy gave Ohio match point at 24-16, but Central Michigan delayed defeat by rattling off four straight points. Kosiorek ended the threat and the match, though, with a kill. 

 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Ohio begins MAC play 2-0 for the 11th time in the past 12 seasons. 

 

QUOTABLE 

• "Tonight was a good win overall.  CMU has a couple of outside hitters that can score well, so stopping them was a priority.  Our serve was able to limit the swing of other hitters, and, additionally, scored quite a few points for us. Karin had a good all-around match, and Meredith was exceptional in the back row.  For the second match in a row, Abby was very aggressive attacking, and it really put pressure on the CMU defense to defend her as well as our other attackers." â€" First-year head coach Deane Webb

 

WHAT'S NEXT

Ohio returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center next weekend for a pair of matches against MAC East Division rivals. The Bobcats host the University at Buffalo next Friday (Oct. 3), then welcome the University of Akron on Saturday (Oct. 4). Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET. 

 

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. Discounted ticket and concession prices will be offered to celebrate the 'Best Fans in the MAC’. Fans can contribute to the Side-Out Foundation’s Dig Pink Rally here.

 

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