Some Ohio volleyball players saw a spike in their offensive numbers during their trip to Georgia this weekend.
Coach Ryan Theis said the offense needed to get more production from its middle hitters.
Senior Katie Post and redshirt sophomore Lexie Hartnett contributed with solid performances, as the team went 3-1 during the weekend and improved to an 8-6 mark for the season.
Post led the team with 12 kills and a .400 hitting percentage in Ohio’s 25-23, 25-19, 25-15 sweep of South Carolina State. Hartnett added four kills in the match.
In the Bobcats’ next match of the tournament, Post again reached double digits in kills with 10 and Hartnett added seven. Sophomore middle blocker Marah Farage took the place of the injured freshman Kelly Lamberti and tallied eight kills.
But the offensive production from the middles could not help the Bobcats take a game in the match. Georgia Southern swept Ohio, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22.
Ohio closed out the tournament on a strong note by taking both matches on the second day.
Ohio defeated Georgia State, 28-26, 25-21, 16-25, 27-25. Hartnett and Post had 21 kills combined in the offensive effort, but it was freshman Chelsea Bilger who led the way.
Bilger amassed 20 kills and 13 digs for her fourth double-double of the year while hitting .302 in the match.
In the last game of the tournament, Post continued her strong play. She had her best match of the tournament with 16 kills and finished with 49 kills total over the weekend.
She and Bilger helped spur the Bobcats to a victory over the Presbyterian Blue Hose, 26-24, 25-13, 22-25, 25-11.
Next weekend, Ohio will open up Mid-American Conference play against Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio).
When these teams squared off against Ohio last season, the Bobcats took both matches from the Falcons but spilt the matches against the Redhawks.
nr225008@ohiou.edu
