Buckeyes Blanked by Wolverines
Ohio State played in front of a sell-out crowd, the first in program history
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s volleyball team came up short to Michigan in straight sets (25-20, 25-21, 25-19) Sunday afternoon in front of a sell-out crowd at the Covelli Center. The Buckeyes drop to 8-8 overall and 1-3 in Big Ten matches while the Wolverines are 11-3 and 4-0 in league outings.
The arena hit capacity as 3,994 fans packed the house for the first sell-out in Ohio State women’s volleyball history and in the Covelli Center.
Elle Sandbothe posted a team-high 12 kills and had three blocks. Mia Grunze and Adria Powell recorded eight kills apiece. Madison Smeathers and Lauren Witte both tallied five kills and three rejections. Kylie Murr and Bia Franklin notched 17 and 11 digs, respectively. Becca Mauer chipped in 31 assists and eight digs.
SET 1: Neither team was willing to give up much ground as they traded the first 26 points of the match. Ohio State had a slight 16-14 edge on a pair of kills by Powell. The Wolverines tied the score again at 18-all and went on to secure a 25-20 win.
SET 2: This frame started much like the first as they went back and forth. Michigan used a timeout down 12-11 but came out of the break swinging for a 19-16 lead. The Buckeyes pulled within one but the Wolverines scored six of the last nine points to take the set, 25-21.
SET 3: Three unanswered points by Ohio State locked the set at 11-11. Michigan broke the stalemate but the Buckeyes responded with a 4-0 to tie the score at 16-all and force a Wolverine timeout. Michigan closed the frame on 9-3 run for the final 25-19 tally.
UP NEXT
Ohio State visits Rutgers on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.