Three game victory gives Ohio first win since 1985
The Ohio volleyball seniors were just three years old when the Bobcats last beat Ball State. But just because they do not remember it, does not mean it could not be done.
Yesterday's 30-23, 30-27, 30-23 victory against the Cardinals (7-10, 2-2 Mid-American Conference), the defending MAC Champion, was the third time Ohio (12-3, 3-0) had ever beaten them and only the second time in Muncie, Ind. Ohio also halted Ball State's 13-game home win streak and a 26-game win streak against the Bobcats at Worthen Arena dating back to 1984. Ohio's last victory against Ball State came in 1985 in Athens.
Outside hitter Holly Schetzsle led Ohio with 17 kills, one away from tying her career-high. Middle blocker Laura Hageman and outside hitter Lindsay Judice also carried their share of the offense, putting down 15 kills each. While those three were the only players in double figures in kills, every Bobcat that attempted at least one kill hit more than .300.
Ohio coach Geoff Carlston said the high hitting percentages go back to the solid passing.
Passing is the name of the game
he said. The two freshmen (libero Michaele Blackburn and setter Savanah Parra) are really adding composure on the court and Briana (Adamovsky) did a nice job mixing it up.
Blackburn tallied 18 digs, and Adamovsky finished with a game-high 52 assists. Hageman said opposing teams are beginning to understand that the Bobcats have more than one offensive threat, and Adamovsky made sure to get everyone involved and in a position to make a kill against Ball State.
We pretty much had one block on us the whole night so we just tried to hit around it Hageman said.
Ball State outside attacker Sarah Obras, last season's MAC Freshman of the Year, created problems for Ohio and carried the team offensively. She finished with a game-high 25 kills and a team-high .373 hitting percentage.
She (Obras) gets twice as many sets as anyone else on the team
Carlston said. She's going to get her kills
so we focused on stopping their other outside hitter (Kelly Cochran) because she's a freshman.
Ohio's plan succeeded. The rest of the team only accounted for 21 kills on a .102 hitting percentage, including Cochran's -.042 percentage.
Carlston said the win is huge for the players because it ended Ball State's streak, and it was a match that helped Ohio improve its mental toughness.
We kept control of the match
he said. We kept a really good Ball State team on their heels the entire match in their own gym.
Ohio returns home for the second time this season when it takes on Northern Illinois Friday and Central Michigan Sunday. Both games are 7 p.m. in The Convo.
Ohio hitting percentages
Laura Hageman 15 kills .483
Lindsay Judice 15 kills .462
Holly Schetzsle 17 kills .419
Ashley Elliott 3 kills .333
Julia Winkfield 7 kills .316
Briana Adamovsky 2 kills .400
Team 59 kills .420
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