Pregame
No. 18 Ohio (14-2, 4-0 MAC) entered Thursday on a four-game winning streak, which included all four of its Mid-American Conference victories. After defeating Miami and Bowling Green on their home court last weekend, the Bobcats jumped two places in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association for the third consecutive week.
Kent State (8-9, 2-2 MAC) had started the conference season with two straight 1-1 weekends. The Golden Flashes played the same opposition as the Bobcats did in opposite order last weekend, as they fell to Bowling Green in four sets and then defeated Miami in a straight-set sweep.
After last weekend's performances, Ohio junior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti and graduate student middle blocker Alexis Pinson were named the MAC East Division's offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively. Lamberti also receieved the MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week award on Wednesday for her performances on the court, as well as in the classroom.
Ohio held a 43-22 lead in the two teams' all-time series, which includes two straight-set sweep victories by the Bobcats last season.
First Set
Kent State started the set with two straight service aces, and the Golden Flashes got off to a 5-0 lead to start the match. Ohio took a timeout.
Ohio cut into the Kent State lead several times, and an ace by Lamberti and a kill by Pinson helped the Bobcats get the score within just on. Kent State led 13-12.
The teams exchanged points for a little while, but then a kill by Lamberti and Karin Bull helped the Bobcats tie the game at 20.
Another kill by Bull and a kill by Pinson helped the Bobcats take the lead for the first time in the set. Ohio then led 22-21.
Kent State finished the set on a 4-1 run, and took the opening set by two points. Ohio's Karin Bull notched five kills in the opening set.
Final: Ohio 23, Kent State 25
Second Set: Ohio 0, Kent State 1
Kent State got off to another 5-0 lead to start the set, this time with the help of two errors by Ohio.
Ohio was able to come back to tie the game up at 8, which included three kills by Abby Gilleland, one kill by Lamberti and a service ace by Pinson.
The teams exchanged points until it was 13-13, and then three straight points by the Bobcats put them up 16-13.
The teams exchanged points, and then Kent State narrowed the margin to just one. Then, three straight kills by the Bobcats extended their lead, and forced the Golden Flashes to take a timeout. Ohio led 21-17.
The teams exchanged points, but a short 3-0 run very late in the set helped the Bobcats take the set by four points. The Bobcats finished on a 4-1 run.
Final: Ohio 25, Kent State 21
Third Set: Ohio 1, Kent State 1
Kent State started the set by getting off to a 5-3 lead, but then Ohio was able to come back and tie the set on several occassions. The set was tied at 9.
Kent State then got back up to an 11-9 lead, but then Ohio came back to tie the game up a few more times. The set was then tied up at 14.
Kent State went on a short 6-0 run which put them up by six. This run was capped off with an error by the Bobcats, and a service ace by the Golden Flashes. They then led by a score of 20-14.
Immediately after the run, Ohio came back with three straight points of their own, which forced Kent State to take a timeout, as they led 20-17.
After the timeout, Kent State finished out the set on a 4-1 run. The set was finished with two errors by Ohio and a Kent State service ace.
Final: Ohio 18, Kent State 25
Fourth Set: Ohio 1, Kent State 2
The Bobcats started the match off with two straight kills by Katie Horton, and they got off to a 4-2 lead, which was then quickly tied back up by Kent State. The set was then tied at 4.
The teams exchanged points, and then two kills by Gilleland and one by Lamberti put the Bobcats up by a score of 8-6.
The Bobcats then put together a short 5-0 run, which put them up by seven. Ohio led 13-6.
That run was answered by three points by Kent State, and then that was quickly answered by three points by Ohio. The Bobcats led 18-11.
The teams exchanged points, and then Kent State scored three straight points, which was answered by two points by Ohio. This put the Bobcats up 22-17, and Kent State took a timeout.
Kent State finished the set with eight unanswered points, and took the set by three. The Golden Flashes won the match by a score of 3-1.
Final: Ohio 22, Kent State 25
Final: Ohio 1, Kent State 3 (23-25, 25-21, 18-25, 22-25)
Ohio
Kelly Lamberti - 13 digs, 12 kills, 1 ace, 1 block
Abby Gilleland - 44 assists, 8 kills, 6 digs, 1.5 blocks
Alexis Pinson - 13 kills, 4 digs, 3 blocks, 1 ace, 1 assist
Karin Bull - 12 kills, 0.5 blocks
Meredith Ashy - 14 digs, 3 assists
Kent State
Aleksandra Nowak - 43 assists, 14 digs, 3 aces, 2 digs, 1.5 blocks
Kelly Hutchison - 22 kills, 9 digs, 1.5 blocks, 1 ace, 1 assist
Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola - 10 kills, 4 digs
Up Next
No. 18 Ohio (14-3, 4-1 MAC) is off to Ypsilanti, Mich., to take on Eastern Michigan after dropping its first conference match of the season. The loss was the first time the Bobcats fell short in less than five sets.
Eastern Michigan (11-9, 1-4 MAC) lost to Central Michigan in a straight-set sweep at home on Thursday. The Eagles won 10 of their first 15 matches, before dropping four of the last five. The team leads the conference in both service aces (1.65 per set) and digs (16.14 per set).
The Bobcats are 32-16-1 all-time against the Eagles, including a straight-set sweep victory in Athens last season.
