Pregame
No. 18 Ohio (14-3, 4-1 MAC) entered Saturday coming off of its first Mid-American Conference defeat of the season in Kent State on Thursday. The Bobcats lost to the Golden Flashes in four sets, which was the first time they fell short in less than five sets this season.
After notching her 1,000th kill two weeks ago, Ohio junior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti entered the match just nine digs short of 900 in her career. Only two other players have ever reached both 1,000 kills and 900 digs in their career at Ohio.
Eastern Michigan (11-9, 1-4 MAC) dropped its fourth conference match of the season on Thursday in a straight-set sweep at home. The Eagles won 10 of their first 15 matches, but since then they have dropped four of the last five. The squad leads the MAC 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, which includes a three-set sweep triumph in Athens last season.
First Set
Eastern Michigan started the match by getting off to a 6-0 run, which then forced Ohio to take a timeout. After the timeout the Eagles continued their run, getting up to 9-1 and 11-3 leads. Eastern Michigan led 11-3.
After the Eagles' run, the Bobcats then scored three out of the four points, which cut the Eastern Michigan lead to six, as score was then 13-7.
The two teams exchanged points until the score was 16-9, and then Ohio scored three straight points, which included kills by Mallory Salis, Karin Bull and Katie Horton. Eastern Michigan then led 16-12.
The teams then exchanged points until the score was 21-18, and then the Bobcats scored three straight points, including kills by Horton, Lamberti and Pinson. The teams were then tied 21-21.
The Bobcats scored four of the last six points in the set, and they finished on a 10-3 run to escape with a victory in the first set. Lamberti had eight digs in the first set.
Final: Ohio 25, Eastern Michigan 23
Second Set: Ohio 1, Eastern Michigan 0
Three kills by Pinson helped the Bobcats start the set on a 7-1 run, and then Eastern Michigan took a timeout.
After the timeout, the Bobcats scored six of the next seven points, including two kills by Kullerkann. This run increased Ohio's lead to 13-2, which forced Eastern Michigan to take another timeout.
The teams exchanged points until the score was 14-4, and then the Bobcats scored seven of the next eight points, which included four attack errors by the Eagles. Ohio then led 21-5.
Eastern Michigan scored the next two points, but then Ohio finished the set by scoring the four final points. Lamberti notched her 900th kill of her career in the set, which makes her the third player all time to record 1,000 digs and 900 digs.
Final: Ohio 25, Eastern Michigan 7
Third Set: Ohio 2, Eastern Michigan 0
Eastern Michigan started the set with a quick 4-0 run, which forced Ohio to take a timeout. Right after the timeout the Bobcats scored four of the next six points, including three attack errors by the Eagles. Eastern Michigan led 6-4.
The Eagles scored four of the next five points, and then the Bobcats came back to win four of the next five points of their own. Eastern Michigan then led 11-9.
Eastern Michigan scored the next three points, but then the teams exchanged points until the Eagles led 18-12. Ohio took a timeout.
Ohio then scored three of the next four points off of a kill each by Kullerkann, Bull and Horton. Eastern Michigan then led 19-16.
The teams went back and forth until Eastern Michigan led 22-20. The Eagles then scored three of the final four points to win the set.
Final: Ohio 21, Eastern Michigan 25
Fourth Set: Ohio 2, Eastern Michigan 1
The Bobcats got off to a big lead to start the set, they got off to leads of 9-0, 10-2 and 11-4.
Eastern Michigan won three straight points, but then the teams went back and forth until Ohio led 17-11. A kill by Pinson and two errors by the Eagles then helped the Bobcats extend their lead to 20-11.
Ohio scored two of the next three points, before exchanging points with Eastern Michigan, which put the Bobcats up 23-14.
Ohio won the last two points in the set, with kills by Lamberti and Pinson, and took the match 3-1.
Final: Ohio 25, Eastern Michigan 14
Final: Ohio 3, Eastern Michigan 1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-7, 25-14)
Ohio
Abby Gilleland - 43 assists, 17 digs, 7 kills, 3 aces, 2.5 blocks
Kelly Lamberti - 18 digs, 12 kills, 5 assists, 1.5 blocks
Meredith Ashy - 20 digs, 7 assists, 2 aces
Karin Bull - 11 kills, 4.5 blocks
Alexis Pinson - 11 kills, 5 digs, 2.5 blocks
Eastern Michigan
Stacey Perinar - 11 kills, 6 digs, 2 aces, 1.5 blocks, 1 assist
Corynne Smith - 20 digs, 4 assists
Jill Briner - 16 assists, 9 digs, 4 kills, 3 aces
Up Next
Kelly Lamberti recorded her 900th dig in the teams victory on Saturday, and she is now one of just three players in Ohio history to register both 1,000 kills and 900 digs during their career.
Ohio (15-3, 5-1 MAC) heads home for two matches next weekend in The Convo against Toledo and Ball State. The Bobcats are now tied for first place in the MAC East Division with Bowling Green.
Toledo (11-9, 4-2 MAC) faces the Bobcats on Friday after claiming two victories at home this weekend against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, both in five sets. The Rockets had a 7-7 non-conference record before winning four of their first six conference matches.
Ball State (17-4, 5-1 MAC) heads into The Convo to face Ohio on Saturday. The Cardinals defeated Western Michigan in four sets on Friday before downing Northern Illinois in a straight-set sweep. Ball State leads the MAC West with a 5-1 conference record.
