Ohio began its home campaign this weekend when it hosted the Baymont Inn Invitational, playing host to Cincinnati, No. 24 North Carolina and Dayton.
The Bobcats kicked off the tournament at noon Friday with a straight-set victory against the Bearcats (25-13, 25-14, 25-23).
Sophomore middle blocker Karin Bull paced the Bobcats with a .500 hitting percentage, eight kills and four blocks, while graduate student middle blocker Alexis Pinson notched eight kills and a pair of aces.
Freshman outside hitter Katie Horton also registered a solid performance with eight kills and three block assists.
Ohio then took the floor against No. 24 North Carolina Friday evening for its second match of the weekend tournament.
Despite winning the first two sets against the Tar Heels, Ohio conceded its lead after halftime, as the Tar Heels did not trail during the final three sets on their way to victory.
Sophomore setter Abby Gilleland notched a team-high 43 assists and six digs, along with a career-high six blocks.
Pinson led the Bobcats with 14 blocks, which is the most for any Ohio player in a single match since the 2009 season. She also recorded 11 kills, which helped her register her first double-double as a Bobcat.
Junior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti also finished the match with a double-double with 19 digs and 11 kills.
The team appreciated the electricity inside The Convo during the match, despite the loss.
“You don’t want to go five games with a competitive team and lose on home court in front of a bunch of home fans,” Gilleland said. “I do think we learn a lot from it, though we can’t let it get to us.”
After losing its first match of the season, Ohio bounced back on Saturday against Dayton.
The Bobcats won in straight sets for the fifth time this season and finished the invitational in second place.
Ohio started off slowly in the first set but was able to record the victory. The Bobcats also notched nine aces from the serving line, which is the best mark they have made this season.
Lamberti notched a double-double for the second consecutive match, as she racked up 15 kills and 11 digs.
Redshirt junior outside hitter Liis Kullerkann also finished with a career-best nine kills, while Pinson and sophomore outside hitter Karin Bull were given all-tournament team honors. Pinson totaled 19 blocks and four aces, while Bull recorded 24 kills and 12 blocks in three matches.
“I was happy to see us come off an emotional five-set loss and turn it into a three-set win,” coach Ryan Theis said. “In terms of being able to turn things around, I was pleased.”
Ohio lost junior middle blocker Chelsea Bilger to an injury during the loss to North Carolina on Friday.
“She’s definitely a big presence for us, she scores a lot of points,” Pinson said. “We’re going to win for her this season, we’re going to play hard for her.”
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