Pregame
Ohio (17-4, 7-2 MAC) headed into Saturday's match after defeating Northern Illinois in four sets on Friday. The Bobcats were trying to finish the road trip with two wins for the first time under Theis.
Western Michigan (13-9, 6-3 MAC) came into Saturday the day after defeating Kent State in a three-set sweep on Friday, which came a week from the Broncos' victories against Akron and Buffalo on the road last weekend.
Western Michigan junior setter Lexie Pawlik leads the conference with 11.61 assists per set in MAC play. Before Saturday, the Broncos had dropped just two conference matches at home since 2008.
First Set
Ohio started the set with a 6-3 run, but then four straight points by Western Michigan helped the Broncos take the lead. Western Michigan led 7-6.
The teams went back and forth until the score was tied at 13. After that Western Michigan scored three straight points to regain the lead, and force Ohio to take a timeout. Western Michigan then led 16-13.
The teams each scored once, and then the Bobcats scored three straight points of their own, including a kill by Karin Bull and two errors by the Broncos. Western Michigan took a timeout, and the teams were then tied at 17.
The teams each scored one point, and then Abby Gilleland and Bull each recorded kills, which increased the Bobcats' lead to 20-18.
The teams exchanged points, and then the Bobcats scored three of the last four points, to take the opening set by three. Bull notched five kills in the set.
Final: Ohio 25, Western Michigan 22
Second Set: Ohio 1, Western Michigan 0
The Bobcats started the set by getting off to a 3-1 lead, but Western Michigan was able to get two straight kills to tie the set at 3. A kill by Alexis Pinson and an error by the Broncos helped the Bobcats get back out to a lead, at 5-3.
The teams exchanged points, and then Ohio scored three straight, including a kill by Bull, an ace by Meredith Ashy and an error by Western Michigan. The Broncos took a timeout, and the Bobcats then led 11-7.
After the timeout Western Michigan scored three straight points to get the set back within one point, at 11-10. They then got the score back within one point again at 12-11.
Ohio went on a 5-2 run, including a kill by Kelly Lamberti, and two kills by Liis Kullerkann. This extended the Bobcats' lead to four, and the Broncos took a timeout. Ohio led 17-13.
After the timeout Western Michigan scored three straight points, and Ohio took a timeout. The score was within one, and right after the timeout the Bronocs tied the set at 17.
The teams exchanged points, and then three straight points by the Broncos gave them a two point lead. Two errors by Western Michigan then helped Ohio tie the set back up at 20.
The teams went back and forth, but then two straight points by Western Michigan gave it a 23-21 lead late in the set. Ohio took a timeout.
The Bobcats scored a point after the timeout, but then the Broncos scored the last two points to take the set.
Final: Ohio 22, Western Michigan 25
Third Set: Ohio 1, Western Michigan 1
Western Michigan started the set by getting of to a 6-2 start, which forced Ohio to take a timeout. Ohio then fought back to tie the set at 9, including two kills by Kullerkann and a kill and ace by Mallory Salis. Western Michigan took a timeout.
The teams went back and forth, but then Western Michigan was able to get up to a 13-11 lead. Two kills by Kullerkann lead the Bobcats back to a tie at 13.
The teams went back and forth until the score was tied at 17, then Western Michigan scored three straight points to take a 20-17 lead. Ohio took a timeout.
Western Michigan scored three straight points to increase its lead to five, but then a kill by Salis and two errors by the Broncos helped the Bobcats pull within two. Western Michigan took a timeout, as it led 23-21.
After the timeout the Broncos scored two of the next three points, and they took the third set by the same score as set two.
Final: Ohio 22, Western Michigan 25
Fourth Set: Ohio 1, Western Michigan 2
With the help of four errors by Western Michigan and a kill by Gilleland, the Bobcats started the set by getting a 5-1 lead. Western Michigan then took a timeout.
After the timeout, the teams went back and forth until the score was 14-11. Ohio then scored two straight points to increase its lead to 16-11.
The two teams exchanged two points each, which forced Western Michigan to take a timeout. Ohio then led 18-13.
The teams exchanged a point each, but then Bull killed the ball twice, and helped Ohio take a 22-14 lead.
The teams went back and forth, and the Bobcats took the set by seven.
Final: Ohio 25, Western Michigan 17
Fifth Set: Ohio 2, Western Michigan 2
Ohio started the set by scoring four of the first five points, which forced Western Michigan to take a timeout. Ohio led 4-1.
The Bobcats got the lead up to 6-2, and then the Broncos scored two straight points in cut the lead to 6-4.
The teams then exchanged points, but once the score was 8-6, Bull and Salis killed the ball to take a 10-6 lead. Western Michigan took a timeout.
The teams exchanged points, and then Ohio scored three straight points, including an ace by Gilleland, and finished with a kill by Kullerkann. The Bobcats took the final set by seven.
Final: Ohio 15, Western Michigan 8
Final: Ohio 3, Western Michigan 2 (25-22, 22-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-8)
Ohio
Abby Gilleland - 56 assists, 22 digs, 9 kills, 1 ace, 1.5 blocks
Mallory Salis - 12 kills, 10 digs, 2 aces, 3 assists
Meredith Ashy - 25 assists, 1 ace, 6 assists
Alexis Pinson - 13 kills, 2.5 blocks, 3 digs
Karin Bull - 14 kills, 3.5 blocks, 1 dig
Western Michigan
Alysia Baznik - 18 kills, 13 digs
Lexie Pawlik - 52 assists, 2 digs, 2 blocks, 3 kills
Lena Oliver - 24 digs, 8 assists
Up Next
Ohio (18-4, 8-2 MAC) heads home for two matches in The Convo next weekend against Akron and Buffalo. The Bobcats defeated both teams in their first road trip of conference play.
