ATHENS, Ohio -- Senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti (Cary, Ill.) and junior middle blocker/outside hitter Shelby Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) each recorded 10 kills, and junior setter Abby Gilleland (Bull Valley, Ill.) just missed out on a triple-double, but the Ohio University volleyball team (1-3) suffered a 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 26-24) sweep at the hands of Texas A&M University in the second match of the 2014 Baymont Inn & Suites Invitational on Friday (Sept. 5) in front of 3,944 fans at the Convocation Center. 

 

"The atmosphere was outstanding," said first-year head coach Deane Webb. "There were a tremendous number of people here tonight, and, particularly, students. I think our team responded well to that energy."

 

Lamberti reached double-digit kills for the third straight match and added eight digs and two assists.

 

Walker achieved a career high with her 10 kills and committed just two attack errors in 20 total attempts to hit .400 for the match.

 

Gilleland recorded a team-high 29 assists to go along with 10 digs and nine kills. She hit a match-best .750.

 

"I wish we would have found a way to get her one more kill," said Webb. "That’s something we talk about as a team. We don’t have want to have five hitters; we want to have six hitters, and we want Abby to be one of those. She’s a dynamic player. It’s important that we pass well enough, not only for her to be able to score, but, also, to get our hitters one-on-one. If we do that, we have a chance to be very good."

 

Junior middle blocker Karin Bull (Bloomington, Minn.) -- the reigning Mid-American Conference East Division Defensive Player of the Week -- posted a team-high four blocks (three solo, one assisted) to tie for the match lead. She also added five kills. 

 

Junior libero Meredith Ashy (Louisville, Ky.) totaled a match-high 12 digs.

 

The Bobcats used the energy built up by a charged-up crowd at their opener to begin the match by taking a 5-1 lead in the first set. Ohio received two solo blocks and a service ace from Walker to build up that advantage. The Aggies responded, though, with a 9-1 run to take a 10-6 lead and force Ohio to call timeout. The 'Cats managed to cut Texas A&M’s edge down to two three times, but a kill and an attack error put the Aggies’ lead back at four at 22-18 and forced Ohio to burn another timeout. Ohio responded by stringing together four straight points thanks to kills by freshman outside hitter Jaime Kosiorek (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), redshirt freshman Ali Lake (Liberty Township, Ohio) and Gilleland, shaving Texas A&M’s lead down to one at 23-22 and forcing the Aggies to take a timeout. Another kill by the Aggies made it set point, but sophomore outside hitter/libero Mallory Salis (Oak Lawn, Ill.) made it a one-point set again and pushed Texas A&M into taking another timeout. Unfortunately for the 'Cats, another Aggie kill ended the threat and the set, 25-23.

 

Ohio once again jumped out to an early lead in the second set, going up 4-1 courtesy of kills by Walker, Lamberti and Gilleland. The Aggies countered with an 11-7 run to snatch a 12-11 lead, but kills by Lamberti and Salis and solo blocks by Bull and Lamberti sparked a 4-0 run that gave the 'Cats a 15-12 lead and forced Texas A&M to call timeout. Texas A&M answered with a 7-3 run that gave the Aggies a 19-18 edge and forced Ohio to talk things over. The Aggies outscored the Bobcats out of the break, 4-1, to win the second set, 25-20.

 

The 'Cats came out white hot in the third set, grabbing a 16-8 lead thanks to four kills apiece from Walker and Lamberti, three from Bull and two from Gilleland. The Aggies did not back down, though, putting together a 9-3 run that cut Ohio’s lead down to two at 19-17 and forced the Bobcats to burn a timeout. Two more kills by the Aggies tied the set out of the break. A kill by Bull and a double block by Gilleland and Bull put Ohio back in front by two at 21-19, but three straight errors by the Bobcats allowed Texas A&M to take a 22-21 lead. The 'Cats and Aggies proceeded to traded the next four points, and, with the contest at match point for Texas A&M, a kill by Gilleland forced a 24-all tie. Unfortunately for Ohio, back-to-back kills by the Aggies sealed the sweep for Texas A&M.

 

"We got a little loose in serve receive," said Webb. "We got mentally loose and just relaxed a little bit in terms of not being focused but tight in terms of passing. Passing needs be a very fluid, rhythmic-like activity. When you get rigid, the ball comes off the net, and you’re not able to run your offense, and that definitely happened late in sets."

 

Freshman opposite hitter Ashlie Reasor and junior middle blocker Shelby Sullivan led the Aggies with 10 kills apiece to tie for the match lead.

 

Freshman setter/opposite hitter Stephanie Aiple passed out 39 assists to lead the match. 

 

Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Jazzmin Babers contributed four blocks (two solo, two assisted) to tie for the match lead.

 

Sophomore defensive specialist/libero Victoria Arenas tallied a team-high 11 digs.

 

In the opening match of the 2014 Baymont Inn & Suites Invitational, Virginia Tech University (2-2) swept past Virginia Commonwealth University (1-3), 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-17).

 

The 2014 Baymont Inn & Suites Invitational concludes with four matches on Saturday (Sept. 6). Virginia Tech and Texas A&M get things underway at 10 a.m. ET, followed by Ohio squaring off with VCU at noon ET. The invitational winds down with Texas A&M battling VCU at 5 p.m. ET, and Ohio’s matchup with Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. ET serving as the finale.

 

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