Pregame
The Bobcats (5-1) entered the matchup after a second place finish in the Baymont Inn Invitational last weekend, when they dropped their first match of the season to No. 18 North Carolina in five sets.
UNLV entered Friday following a 1-2 performance in the Gonzaga Tournament last weekend. The Rebels defeated Seattle in straight sets in the finale of the tournament, which was their 300th win in program history.
Ohio graduate student middle blocker Alexis Pinson was named the Mid-American Conference East Division's defensive player of the week on Monday after her performances in her first home tournament as a Bobcat.
This was the first meeting between the two teams in all-time history on the volleyball court.
First Set
Ohio jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead, which included two kills by Pinson.
The two teams went back and forth for a while, but freshman outside hitter Katie Horton then killed the ball twice in four plays to put Ohio ahead 12-9.
The Bobcats hovered around the two point lead, until they went on a 6-0 run, including two kills from junior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti. Ohio then led 20-13.
UNLV didn't go away in the set, as they pushed strong and went on a 9-0 run to take a 22-20 lead.
Ohio then recorded the next two points, before the teams went back-and-forth until Ohio took a 25-24 lead late in the set.
Horton then killed the ball and Ohio escaped the first set with a victory.
Final: Ohio 26, UNLV 24
Second Set: Ohio 1, UNLV 0
The set started off back-and-forth, despite Horton pitcining in three kills during Ohio's first 11 points, as the game was tied at that score at the first timeout.
UNLV then comitted three attack errors and two service errors during a 5-1 Ohio run to put the Bobcats ahead 16-12.
The teams then went back-and-forth again, before redshirt junior outside hitter Liis Kullerkann provided the Bobcats with two kills late in the set to place Ohio ahead 24-20.
UNLV scored another point against the Bobcats, but then followed with a service error to concede the set to Ohio.
Final: Ohio 25, UNLV 21
Third Set: Ohio 2, UNLV 0
Sophomore middle blocker Karin Bull recorded three kills during Ohio's first nine points of the set, though neither team pulled away early, as the score was tied at nine at the first timeout.
Ohio then went on a 10-2 run, which included three attack errors by UNLV's Daryn Glenn to put the Bobcats ahead 19-11.
Lamberti recorded a kill and a block in consecutive sets, to put the Bobcats up by nine points, before Bull notched two consecutive kills.
Kullerkann then secuted the match victory with a service ace. Ohio finished the set on a 17-4 run.
Final: Ohio 25, UNLV 13
Final: Ohio 3, UNLV 0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-13)
Ohio
Abby Gilleland - 38 assists, 2 kills, 1 dig, 1 block
Katie Horton - 11 kills, 1 dig
Karin Bull - 9 kills, 2 blocks
Mallory Salis - 12 digs
Kelly Lamberti - 8 kills, 6 digs, 1 assist, 1 block
UNLV
Sekola Falemaka - 14 kills, 8 digs, 2 aces, 1 assist
Stephanie Thelen - 27 assists, 7 digs, 5 kills
Allison Davies - 11 digs, 2 assists
Up Next
Ohio (6-1) will next take the floor against No. 21 Western Kentucky on Saturday at noon, before facing Virginia later that night
The Hiltoppers and the Bobcats have split their four previous meetings on the court, and most recently Ohio lost 3-1 against WKU in 2011 at the Kentucky Classic
WKU defeated Cincinnati 3-0 in a mid-week game last week, the same team that the Bobcats swept in the first game of the Baymont Inn Invitational last weekend.
@ab109410@ohiou.edu
@Buschy6391
