Pregame
Ohio (7-1) entered the match after winning both of its first two matchups against UNLV and No. 21 Western Kentucky, each in straight sets. Junior Kelly Lamberti recorded a double-double in the Bobcats win against WKU (13 kills, 10 digs).
Virginia (4-4) came into the matchup after dropping each of its first two matches, both by the score of 3-1.
Virginia freshman outside hitter Haley Kole was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's freshman on the week Monday.
Ohio and Virginia have met on the volleyball court twice all-time, the last time the two matched up was in the 2011 Baymont Invitaional finale, where the Cavaliers won 3-1.
First Set
Virginia took an early 5-1 lead, but then Ohio got two points right back after a kill from Liis Kullerkann and a service error by Virginia. Virginia led 5-3.
Virginia took control of the set and went on an 8-2 run, which put them up by 8. Virginia led 13-5.
The teams went back and forth, but then Virginia scored four straight points to put them up by 10. Virginia then led 19-9.
A kill by Mallory Salis put Ohio back within single digits, but the Bobcats would get no closer than that for the remainder of the set. Virginia led 19-10.
Virginia then went on a mini 4-1 run towards the end of the set, but then Ohio would score two straight points to put the Bobcats down 23-13. Virginia then scored two straight points and took the first set by a 12 point margin. Virginia freshman Haley Kole registered six kills in the set.
Final: Ohio 13, Virginia 25
Second Set: Ohio 0, Virginia 1
Virginia took a 5-2 lead to open the second set, but then Ohio fought back to tie the set at 6.
Virginia then climbed out to a two point lead, but then a service error and a bad set by the Cavaliers helped the Bobcats tie the set at 10.
Virginia and Ohio exchanged a couple points, and then the Cavaliers scored four straight points, which forced Ohio to take a timeout. Virginia led 16-13.
Ohio kept fighting back, and a kill from Kullerkann helped the Bobcats tie the game at 18.
A service ace by Virginia and a service error by Ohio helped the Cavaliers escape with the second set by a margin of three points. Virginia sophomore Lauren Fuller notched 14 assists in the second set.
Final: Ohio 22, Virginia 25
Third Set: Ohio 0, Virginia 2
Virginia jumped up 6-3, but then a small 4-1 by the Bobcats helped them tie the set at 7.
Ohio took a small lead, but then a service error followed by an attack error by the Bobcats helped Virginia tie it at 10.
The teams exchanged two points each to tie it up at 12, but then Ohio scored four straight points during a 6-1 run, which included two kills and a block by Alexis Pinson. Ohio led 18-13.
Virginia went on a 7-2 run, which included three kills by Kole. The set was then tied at 20.
The Bobcats finished the set on a 5-1 run, which was capeed off with a kill by Abby Gilleland. Ohio was led by Gilleland in the third set, who had 12 assists.
Final: Ohio 25, Virginia 21
Fourth Set: Ohio 1, Virginia 2
Ohio started the set by going up 5-2, but then an attack error by the Bobcats helped the Cavaliers get within one point. Ohio led 6-5.
Ohio then went on a 9-5 run, which was capped off with a block by Pinson. Ohio then led 15-11.
Virginia went on a small 4-1 run, which put the Cavaliers back within three points of the lead. Ohio led 17-14.
Ohio then finished off the set with an 8-0 run, which included two kills each by Kelly Lamberti and Kullerkann. Lamberti notched seven kills in the set, which led the floor.
Final: Ohio 25, Virginia 14
Fifth Set: Ohio 2, Virginia 2
Neither team could pull away early in the set, but two kills by Lamberti and two errors by Virginia helped the Bobcats keep the set tied at 6.
Two kills in a row by Horton, along with a kill by Kullerkann aided the Bobcats as they scored four straight points. Ohio led 10-6.
Two Virginia points were complemented with two attack errors by the Cavaliers. Ohio was ahead by a score of 12-8.
Ohio stayed stead to finish the set, and Karin Bull killed the ball to give the Bobcats the set and the match. Gilleland added 5 assists and 2 kills in the final frame.
Final: Ohio 15, Virginia 11
Final: Ohio 3, Virginia 2 (13-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-14, 15-11)
Ohio
Kelly Lamberti - 16 kills, 14 digs, 4 assists
Abby Gilleland - 46 assists, 5 kills, 5 digs, 1 ace, 1 block
Meredith Ashy - 23 digs, 1 assist
Liis Kullerkann - 14 kills, 3 digs, 1 block
Katie Horton - 10 kills, 5 digs, 2 assists, 1 block
Virginia
Lauren Fuller - 56 assists, 8 digs, 2 kills
Tori Janowski - 17 kills, 10 digs, 2 aces, 1 block
Haley Kole - 19 kills, 3 digs
Up Next
Ohio (8-1) won the Western Kentucky Invitational with its 3-0 record in the tournament. The Bobcats reached an 8-1 record for the first time since 2005.
The Bobcats will next compete in the Michigan Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich., next weekend. They will face Maryland, Marshall and No. 7 Michigan throughout the weekend, in that order.
Michigan (7-1) started the season with seven straight victories, but the Wolverines dropped their first match of the season against No. 16 Florida State in five sets at the Texas A&M Invitational on Saturday.
