Ohio (3-4) won two of its three matches this weekend in the nation’s capital at the American Volleyball Classic. The Bobcats faced Temple, American and Winthrop on Friday and Saturday, and each of the matches went to five sets.
Ohio stumbles against Temple
On Friday, the Bobcats lost their only match of the invitational to an undefeated Temple team in five sets. Ohio looked strong after taking a 2-1 lead in the third set, where it had a hitting percentage of .405. The Bobcats didn’t close it out, however, as they lost the next two sets, and the match 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 25-20, 23-25, 12-15).
While Ohio lost, it had its positives.
Maggie Nedoma, Lizzie Stephens and Shayla Phillip finished with double-digit kills. Nedoma led the team with 20. This was also the first match of the season that went to five sets, and Ohio was able to play close with a talented team that finished the weekend with a 7-0 overall record.
Nedoma dominates American
Nedoma led the way in Ohio’s first match victory of the invitational on Friday night. The junior had 23 kills, a new season high, in the Bobcats’ 3-2 (19-25, 28-26, 23-25, 25-23, 15-12) win over host American. The junior transfer had a hitting percentage of .288 in the match.
She wasn’t the only one who had success against American, though. Olivia Margioles also excelled with 13 kills of her own.
Ohio’s defense also dominated in the fifth set. It held American to a .107 hitting percentage compared to its .190 hitting percentage.
Bobcats close out the weekend on high note
After both matches Friday went to five sets, it was only fitting that the final match of the weekend too went to five sets. Ohio stifled Winthrop in the fifth set on Saturday behind a .556 hitting percentage compared to Winthrop’s .083. The Bobcats won the set 15-8 and the match 3-2 (21-25, 26-24, 20-25, 25-22, 15-8).
Ohio led a well-balanced attack throughout the match with four players hitting double-digit kills. Stephens led the attack with 17 kills and Nedoma, who led the team in kills in the previous two matches, was not far behind with 16. She had 59 kills on the weekend.
What’s next
Ohio has its home opener when it hosts the Bobcat Invitational on Sept.13-14. It hosts the College of Charleston, Connecticut and Virginia.
