Pregame
After playing 11 of their first 14 games away from home, the Bobcats hosted the RedHawks in their first home game of Mid-American Conference play.
Ohio (12-2, 2-0 MAC) entered Friday after defeating Buffalo and Akron last weekend on the road in its first conference matches of the season. The Bobcats currently lead the MAC in hitting percentage with .272 on the season.
Miami (8-6, 0-2 MAC) won eight of its first nine matches, but have since dropped the last five contests. The RedHawks fell in two five set matches against Bowling Green and Western Michigan to open conference play.
The RedHawks held a 29-44 all-time series lead against the Bobcats before Friday, which included an 11-2 mark for Ohio under coach Ryan Theis.
Follow @ThePostSports on Twitter for more in-game updates from Staff Writer and volleyball beat writer Alex Busch (@buschy6391).
First Set
Ohio started with a 7-4 lead, which included a kill by Karin Bull and Kelly Lamberti. Pinson blocked the ball for the last point of the run.
The teams exchanged points, and then the Bobcats scored six straight points before comitting a service error. Kullerkann had two kills during the run. Ohio led 15-9.
After the service error, the Bobcats won three of the next five points, which were all kills from Lamberti. Ohio led 18-11.
Miami scored two more points, but then Ohio came back with two more of their own. Lamberti killed the ball and then Katie Horton and Alexis Pinson had a combined block. Ohio led 20-13. Timeout Miami.
Miami won the next two points after the timeout, but Ohio held on to win the set by seven points. Lambert had two kills to finish the set for the Bobcats. She finished with nine kills in the set, and Gilleland had 15 assists.
Final: Ohio 25, Miami 18
Second Set: Ohio 1, Miami 0
The two teams split the first six points. Pinson had a kill and an ace, while Lamberti also had a kill in that stretch. The set was tied at 6-6.
The Bobcats scored the next three points, which included two errors by the RedHawks and a kill by Horton. Ohio led 9-6.
The teams went back and forth for a few plays, but then Ohio killed the ball twice in a row and grabbed a three point lead. Horton and Bull had the two kills, and Ohio led 16-13. Miami called a timeout.
The Bobcats upped their lead to four, but then the RedHawks scored the next five points to take an 18-17 lead. Med Riley had two aces in the 5-0 run for Miami. Ohio took a timeout.
Miami scored two straight points after the timeout to extend the streak to 7-0. They eventually upped their lead to 22-18, but Ohio then scored the next two points. Miami then led 22-20.
The RedHawks finished the set by getting three of the last four points, which included two errors buy the Bobcats. Miami's Meg Riley rcorded five assists, two kills and two aces in the set.
Final: Ohio 21, Miami 25
Third Set: Ohio 1, Miami 1
Ohio got off to a 9-4 lead early in the third set, and Lamberti had three kills before Miami decided to take a timeout.
Miami fought back, but Ohio was able to keep their four point margin with the help of kills by Bull and Lamberti. The RedHawks then committed a service error. Ohio led 16-11.
Miami then won two of the next three points to cut the lead to four, after a long fought volley that was won by the RedHawks. Ohio then led 17-13.
Ohio won three out of the next four points after the timeout, but the Miami took the next two points. Ohio then led 22-17.
Miami started to fend the Bobcats off as they were put against the wall, but two Miami errors and a kill by Horton helped Ohio take the third set by seven. Gilleland had 12 assists in the set.
Final: Ohio 25, Miami 18
Fourth Set: Ohio 2, Miami 1
Ohio started the set with a 4-2 run, which included two kills and a block by Bull, but then Miami scored the next three points to take the lead in the set. Miami led 5-4.
Ohio scored four of the next five points, which helped them get off to a two point lead. A block and a kill by Pinson were the last two points scored during the short run. Ohio then led 8-6.
After Miami brought the score within one point, the Bobcats then scored three points in a row, which forced the RedHawks to take a timeout. Ohio then led 14-10.
After the timeout, the teams exchanged three points each. Then Pinson and Gilleland combined for a block to gain a five point lead. Miami then took a timeout, as the Bobcats led 18-13.
The Bobcats held on as they finished the match on a 7-2 run, which was capped off with two kills by Kullerkann.
Final: Ohio 25, Miami 15
Final: Ohio 3, Miami 1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-18, 25-15)
Ohio
Kelly Lamberti - 19 kills, 16 digs, 2 assists, 1 ace, 1 block
Abby Gilleland - 44 assists, 8 digs, 2 kills, 1 ace, 1 block
Meredith Ashy - 19 digs, 1 assist
Katie Horton - 12 kills, 2.5 blocks, 2 digs
Alexis Pinson - 5.5 blocks, 6 kills, 2 aces, 2 digs, 1 assist
Miami
Maris Below - 12 kills, 7 digs, 1 block
Krista Brakauskas - 20 assists, 7 digs
Madison Hardy - 23 digs
Reactions
"That's what (Miami) has done against teams in the past, having the ability to get point runs on people. That's why the've gone five (sets) in their first two MAC matches against awfully good teams. They have the ability to do that, so it was our job to let it happen as rarely as possible," — Coach Ryan Theis, on the Miami rivalry.
"(At halftime coach) said to limit our errors because we had one too many in all positions. We really just came out and got focused again (during the second half)," — Junior middle blocker Kelly Lamberti, on re-grouping after intermission.
"(Kelly Lamberti) almost had a double-double in the first game. She was feeling it tonight, I thought our team did a really good job of putting her in really good situations," Theis, on Lamberti's performance.
Up Next
The Bobcats (13-2, 3-0 MAC) take the floor again at 7 p.m. Saturday in The Convo against Bowling Green. The match will be the annual "Dig Pink" event, which is put on for breast cancer research funds. The Bobcats will sport pink jerseys.
Bowling Green (6-8, 3-0 MAC) defeated Kent State in four sets on the road Friday. The Falcons were picked to win the MAC East Division in the preseason coaches poll, and are off to a 3-0 start in conference play after finishing the non-conference schedule at 3-8.
The Bobcats are 29-42 all-time against the Falcons, and hold an 8-2 edge under Theis. The two division rivals split their two meeting last season, in which the home team won in straight-sets each time.
