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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio volleyball team (16-12, 8-7 MAC) clinched a spot in next week's MAC Tournament after earning its third-straight sweep over Buffalo (11-16, 7-8 MAC), 3-0 (25-22, 26-24, 25-23), on Friday evening at the Convocation Center.
"It was every bit as physical as we expected it to be," head coach Deane Webb said. "Both offenses were really good tonight. All the hitters did a really good job of going around the block tonight. As the match went on, our unforced error rate went lower and lower. It was great focus and great control throughout the match."
After nine kills in the first set alone, freshman outside hitter Olivia Margolies (Galena, Ohio) led the way with 14 kills and just one error for a .464 attacking percentage. Junior opposite Maggie Nedoma (Brook Park, Ohio) had 12 kills and hit .452 after also just putting up one error. Both redshirt sophomore Dahlias Bouyer (Brownstown, Mich.) and sophomore outside hitter Lauren Park (Millersburg, Ohio) had six kills. Junior middle blocker Tia Jimerson (Sugar Hill, Ga.) had four kills.
"She (Olivia Margolies) did a great job of knowing where to place the ball based on rotation and which defender was there – following the scouting report" Webb said. "She executed (the gameplan) at a high level."
Junior setter Vera Giacomazzi (San Vendemiano, Italy) helped Ohio record 44 kills and a .337 attacking clip with 35 assists. Giacomazzi added three digs and two blocks in the win.
Junior libero Macy Reihing (Lexington, Ky.) led the way with 17 digs and OU had 44 as a team. Nedoma posted eight while senior defensive specialist Meredith Howe (Grand Rapids, Mich.) had six. Sophomore defensive specialist Emma Tupa (Brecksville, Ohio) had four scoops and Margolies had three. Ohio was outdug, 45-44.
Ohio had four team blocks, with Jimerson posting three, Giacomazzi two and Park with one.
Tupa had three service aces for Ohio while Nedoma recorded two.
Ohio will wrap up the regular season with Senior Night tomorrow. First serve against Akron is set for 5 p.m. OU will honor its five seniors, Shayla Phillip, Lizzie Stephens, Sara Januszewski, Allyson Vaughn and Meredith Howe as well as their senior manager, Cooper Hayes prior to the match.
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