Despite entering the weekend with a four-match winning streak, including 12 consecutive set victories, Ohio fell to a pair of Atlantic Coastal
Conference foes.
Ohio (5-7) continued its three-match road trip in North Carolina Saturday against the University of North Carolina (9-2), after defeating UNC Greensboro 3-0 Thursday.
The Bobcats began the match against the Tar Heels with a set win to extend their streak to 13 consecutive wins, but UNC responded by taking the next two sets. With UNC leading 2-1 heading into the fourth set, Ohio dug in and showed its resiliency.
“In game three we fought at the end, but couldn’t get the win as we lost on some small points,” said Ohio coach Ryan Theis. “But in game four we played well to tie it up after the disappointing loss.”
After swapping points at the beginning of the fourth set, Ohio took a 7-5 advantage and kept the lead to win 25-14, forcing a fifth set. UNC never trailed in the fifth set, thus clinching the match victory.
Leading the way for the Bobcats in the match was sophomore outside hitter Kelly Lamberti, who recorded a match-high in both kills (21) and digs (19) — both season-highs.
Freshman middle blocker Karin Bull also had a standout performance with a personal-best seven blocks and five kills.
The Bobcats finished their trip to the Tar-Heel state Sunday against North Carolina State (11-1), which defeated rival UNC Friday before either team took the court with the Bobcats.
NC State continued its winning ways against Ohio on Sunday with a straight-set victory to continue its fifth-best season start in program history.
The Wolfpack did not allow the Bobcats to score more than 20 points in any of the three sets, and did not trail after early in the second set.
Lamberti, once again, topped the stat sheet for the Bobcats with seven kills and 11 digs. Freshman libero Meredith Ashy added 14 digs in the losing effort.
“I thought we had been consistent for the last five or six matches, but this weekend we weren’t all working at our average,” Theis said. “We began the weekend well on Thursday, but Saturday we came up short and Sunday we were kept from doing what we wanted.”
The trip to North Carolina was a homecoming for senior outside hitter Faith Robins, whose hometown is Winston-Salem, N.C.
“It was awesome to come home this weekend,” Robins said. “Most of my relatives are unable to make the five-hour drive to Athens, so it was nice to come down and play in front of them.”
Ohio finished what Theis labeled the “preseason” Sunday, as the Bobcats will begin their Mid-American Conference schedule next weekend.
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