ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio University volleyball team (2-3) swept Virginia Commonwealth University (1-4), 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-20), on Saturday (Sept. 6) in the Bobcats’ first match of the day in the 2014 Baymont Inn & Suites Invitational at the Convocation Center.

 

Senior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti (Cary, Ill.) reached double-digit kills for the fourth straight match, finishing with a match-high 15 to go along with nine digs and a service ace.

 

"We’re excited to have our first win at home, and, it was a sweep, so that was great," said Lamberti. "I just want to win, and our team is very competitive in all aspects of the game and everyone was wound up and ready to get a win at home."

 

Junior setter Abby Gilleland (Bull Valley, Ill.) finished with a game-high 33 assists and recorded four service aces, while junior libero Meredith Ashy (Louisville, Ky.) and sophomore setter/defensive specialist Brooke Coleman (Plano, Texas) each finished with ten digs to lead the Bobcats. Gilleland has totaled at least 30 set assists three times in 2014.

 

"We had to overcome some unforced errors on our side,” said first-year head coach Deane Webb. “We really attacked well and attacked efficiently. A number of players did a really good job. Obviously Kelly had a great match, which she does a lot."

 

Thanks to two early kills from Lamberti, the 'Cats jumped out early in the first set with a 6-1 lead to force a VCU timeout. Four straight kills from four different Bobcats pushed the advantage to 11-4. VCU found a response and closed the gap to 15-12 with a five-point run of its own. A kill and a block from junior middle blocker Karin Bull (Bloomington, Minn.) got the Bobcats rolling again as they forced another VCU timeout, leading 22-14. A tip from junior middle blocker/outside hitter Shelby Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) made it set point and Gilleland’s ace gave the Bobcats the first set, 25-17. Lamberti finished the first set with five kills, while Bull chipped in three of her own.

 

Ohio grabbed the early advantage in the second set as well, leading 4-0 after two Gilleland service aces. After some back-and-forth action, three straight points from the Bobcats -- capped off by a Gilleland kill -- forced a VCU timeout with the score at 10-6 in favor of Ohio. VCU fought back and took the lead for the first time in the match, 14-13, after an attack error by the 'Cats. Ohio took a timeout, trailing 19-18. A serving error from the Bobcats gave VCU its first set point at 24-22, but Ohio grabbed three straight points to take a 25-24 lead and force a VCU timeout. Lamberti’s block after the timeout gave Ohio the second set, 26-24. 

 

The third set started with a bang as redshirt freshman middle blocker Ali Lake (Liberty Township, Ohio) gave Ohio the 1-0 lead with a kill right down the middle. VCU responded and took their first lead in the set, 7-6. The Rams went up 11-8 for their largest lead of the day to that point, and led 14-11 when Ohio took a timeout. The 'Cats came out of the timeout on a 3-0 run behind an ace and a kill from Lamberti. Ohio took a 22-20 lead off of a pair of Lamberti kills to gain control of the match, and the Bobcats never looked back. An ace from Coleman gave the Bobcats match point at 24-20, and a kill by sophomore outside hitter Mallory Salis (Oak Lawn, Ill.) finished things off and gave Ohio the 25-20 victory.

 

"The first set, we maybe scored a little too easily," said Webb. "We were a little complacent after that, but, regardless, we found a way to get the win and several players did a nice job for us."

 

Senior Janelle Sykes recorded a team-high 11 kills for VCU, finishing with a .350 hitting percentage.

 

Senior Cecilia Aragao finished with 25 assists and nine digs, while Mary Kilbane put together a match-high 18 digs.

 

In the first 2014 Baymont Inn & Suites Invitational match of the day, Texas A&M University (4-1) rolled to a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-22) sweep of Virginia Tech University (2-3).

 

Texas A&M junior Angela Lowak finished the match with a team-high nine kills, while freshman setter Stephanie Aiple led the way with a match-high 28 assists. Aiple also posted a team-high 11 digs.

 

Sophomore Emily Hardesty added eight kills and led the team with a .368 hit percentage.

 

For Virginia Tech, sophomore outside hitter Lindsey Owens recorded a match-high 11 kills and 14 digs.

 

The Bobcats are back in action for the final match of the 2014 Baymont Inn & Suites Invitational, taking on Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. ET. VCU battles Texas A&M at 5 p.m. ET.

 

#BobcatNation