Ohio was looking for a series sweep going into its March 13 match against the Miami RedHawks but walked out with a series split instead. The Bobcats (6-6, 6-6 Mid-American Conference) defeated the RedHawks (8-7, 8-7 MAC) on March 12, but Miami took Friday’s match with a 3-2 upset of Ohio.
Here are the numbers to know from Ohio’s 3-2 (20-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-21,15-11) loss to Miami:
.229
Ohio hit .229 over the whole match, while Miami hit .195. Ohio may have outhit their opponent, but this is only because Miami took more swings than the Bobcats. Miami had 169 attack attempts and made 27 attack errors. Ohio took 157 attempts and made 25 errors but only had one more total kill than the RedHawks.
4
Ohio had four service errors in the fourth set. This was detrimental because Ohio lost points on errors. The Bobcats are more commonly known to make hitting errors, but they made eight service errors this match. Half of those eight were in the fourth set. Having clean serves sets the precedent for the volley, but without a serve over the net, there is no opportunity to volley. Service errors are free points to the opponent, and they hurt Ohio this match.
14
Lauren Park has been extremely effective for Ohio all season long. Her ability to see the ball and put power behind her swings creates big moments on the court. She totaled 17 kills and had the most points for Ohio with 17.5. Park has come into her own this season and has stepped into her role as an upperclassman with style.
23
Mariana Rodrigues flashed her defensive skills tonight for the Bobcats. She collected 23 digs, the most of any player from Ohio and Miami combined. This newfound skill will be helpful for the Bobcats going into their next few matches because it will take the pressure off libero Sam Steele.
