ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio University volleyball team (4-4, 0-0 MAC) fell to North Carolina State (7-1, 0-0 ACC), 3-1 (23-25, 15-25, 25-23, 19-25) on Friday evening.

The Bobcats were led by graduate student Caitlin O'Farrell (Suwanee, Ga.), who recorded a game high in kills with 19, along with a .412 hit percentage and three blocks. Senior?Sam Steele?(Omaha, Neb.) contributed with a team-high 16 digs and totaled five assists.  

Set one began as a back-and-forth battle with neither team being able to maintain an advantage. After the tenth tie of the set, NC State pulled away and led 17-13, forcing an Ohio timeout. Consecutive errors from the Wolfpack sparked a 5-0 run for the Bobcats, putting the score at 22-21 Bobcats.

Despite O'Farrell's four kills and a late set comeback, Ohio dropped set one, 25-23. 

After an early 3-3 tie in the second, the Wolfpack took the lead and maintained their advantage throughout the set, winning 25-15. 

The Bobcats bounced back in the third set, leading 5-2, forcing an early Wolfpack timeout. Three consecutive kills from O'Farell gave Ohio a 10-5 lead, their largest lead of the match. NC State cut into the Bobcat lead and took their first lead at 15-14. Ohio called a timeout tied at 20, looking to string together a run and push the match to another set, and they did just that, winning set three off an ace by freshman Torre Kildow (Bethesda, Ohio), 25-23. 

In a mirror image of set three, the fourth began with an early 5-2 Bobcat lead. After NC State tied the set at six, the teams were trading points with neither being able to sustain a lead. The Wolfpack rallied and strung together a 7-1 run, amassing a 19-15 lead. The Bobcats were unable to push back, losing the fourth set, 25-19. 

Ohio will conclude competition at the Bobcat Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 8., where they will host William and Mary at 2:00 p.m. ET.  

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