Pregame
Ohio (19-4, 9-2 MAC) entered Saturday after defeating Akron in a three-set sweep the night before. The Bobcats sat at first place in the Mid-American Conference East Divsion on Saturday.
On Monday, sophomore setter Abby Gilleland and graduate student middle blocker Alexis Pinson were named the MAC East offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively.
Buffalo (16-8, 4-8 MAC) came into Saturday after falling just short of a come back against Kent State on Friday. The Bulls lost the first two sets, but came back to win the third and fourth set, and fell short in the fifth set.
The Bulls began the season with a 12-match winning streak, but had gone 4-8 since then. Buffalo was the No. 1 blocking team in the nation when Ohio won in Buffalo in late September. Since then, the Bulls fell to No. 15, which is one spot behind the Bobcats.
The Bulls rank among the bottom three teams in hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage in MAC play. Ohio leads the all-time series against Buffalo 30-2, including a 3-1 victory in Buffalo on September 27th.
Follow @ThePostSports on Twitter for more in-game updates from Staff Writer and volleyball beat writer Alex Busch.
First Set
Ohio got off to 5-1 and 6-2 leads early in the set, including two kills by Alexis Pinson. Buffalo then came back to cut the margin to two. Ohio then led 7-5.
The teams went back and forth, but then four straight points by Ohio forced Buffalo to call timeout. Ohio then led 16-8.
The Bobcats scored three of the next four points, but then the Bulls came back to score three points on the next four points after that, which cut Ohio's lead to eight. Ohio then led 20-12.
The teams went back and forth again, but a kill each by Kelly Lamberti and Abby Gilleland, along with an ace by Meredith Ashy, helped the Bobcats score three of the last four points in the set. Ohio won the set by 10.
Final: Ohio 25, Buffalo 15
Second Set: Ohio 1, Buffalo 0
Buffalo got off to a 7-2 lead early in the set, which was finished off with two blocks. Ohio then called timeout.
A kill and block by Liis Kullerkann helped Ohio score three straight points after the timeout, then Buffalo stopped that run with a point of its own. Buffalo led 8-5.
Ohio then scored four of the next five points, including kills by Lamberti and Karin Bull, which gave the Bobcats a 9-8 lead.
After a Buffalo point, Ohio scored two more, which extended the Bobcats' run to 9-2. Buffalo called timeout, as the Ohio then led 11-9.
Ohio scored five out of the next seven points, which increased the Bobcat run to 14-4. Ohio then led 16-11.
Two straight kills by Pinson helped Ohio take a six point lead in the set, and increased the run to 16-5. Buffalo took a timeout, as Ohio then led 18-12.
After the timeout the teams exchanged points, but four straight points gave Ohio the second set. Gilleland finished off the set with a quick kill on the second touch.
Final: Ohio 25, Buffalo 15
Third Set: Ohio 2, Buffalo 0
Kills by Gilleland and Horton gave Ohio a quick 3-0 lead, but then Buffalo came back with two points of its own. Ohio led 3-2.
Four straight points by Buffalo, including two straight aces, gave the Bulls a 5-4 lead, but Ohio came back to tie the set at 5, 6 and 7.
Ohio went on a 5-1 run, including three errors by Buffalo, which forced the Bulls to take a timeout. Ohio then led 11-8.
After the timeout, three straight points by Buffalo helped it tie the set at 11. The Bulls also tied the game back up at 12 after a Bobcat point.
Four straight points, finished with two straight combined blocks by Pinson and Lamberti, gave Ohio a 17-14 lead. Buffalo called timeout.
After the timeout, the Bulls score four straight of their own, and take a one point lead. Ohio called timeout, as it trailed 18-17.
After the timeout, Buffalo scored four of the next five points, which extended its run to 8-1. Ohio called timeout, as it trailed 22-18.
A kill by Kullerkann and Lamberti helped Ohio get within one point. Buffalo led 22-21.
Ohio scored three straight points, and then tied the set at 25. After sudden death was in place the teams went back and forth until the score was tied at 28. Buffalo scored two straight, and took the third set.
Final: Ohio 28, Buffalo 30
Fourth Set: Ohio 2, Buffalo 1
The teams went back and fourth for the first five points, and then three straight points by Ohio were quickly answered by three straight Buffalo points. Buffalo led 6-5.
The teams went back and forth, but then two straight points by Buffalo tied the match at 10.
Buffalo got itself a two point lead with the help of two straight points. Ohio called timeout, as it trailed 13-11.
A kill by Kullerkann and two straight aces by Mallory Salis gave Ohio a 14-13 lead. Buffalo then came back with three straight points to take a 16-14 lead.
Ohio scored two straight points to tie the set at 16, but then Buffalo scored three of its own. Ohio called timeout, down 19-16.
Lamberti and Bull killed the ball, which cut Buffalo's lead to just one. Buffalo called a timeout, as it was leading the set 19-18.
Ohio scored two straight points again after the timeout, and took a 20-19 lead. Buffalo then tied it up again at 20, 21 and 22.
Buffalo scored on a long volley, and then killed the ball again to take a 24-22 lead. Ohio came back with two points while Buffalo was on set point. The set was tied at 24.
Horton and Lamberti killed the ball, and Ohio took a 26-25 lead. Buffalo then called timeout.
During match point, Salis killed the ball, and Ohio came out on top.
Final: Ohio 27, Buffalo 25
Final: Ohio 3, Buffalo 1 (25-15, 25-15, 28-30, 27-25)
Ohio
Abby Gilleland - 53 assists, 13 digs, 5 kills
Kelly Lamberti - 15 kills, 15 digs, 1 block
Brooke Coleman - 22 digs, 3 assists
Alexis Pinson - 11 kills, 4.5 blocks, 2 digs
Meredith Ashy - 17 digs, 1 ace, 2 assists
Buffalo
Kelly Svoboda - 33 digs, 2 aces, 3 assists
Tahleia Bishop - 17 kills, 1 block, 1 dig
Carissa Mckenna - 12 kills, 3 blocks, 3 digs
Reactions
"Last time we played (Buffalo) they out-blocked us a lot, so we had to work that around our gameplan by finding other spots on the court that are open." -- Graduate student middle blocker Alexis Pinson, who lead the Bobcats with 4.5 blocks, on out-blocking Buffalo 12-11
"We planned on starting (Lamberti) tonight. 15 kills, hitting .333, we'll take that pretty much any day coming off of a bad ankle." -- Coach Ryan Theis on junior outside Kelly Lamberti's play coming off an ankle injury
"Playing on this team is awesome because you know that if you get that dig up then our hitters will be able to put it down. In close situations you know that you have to get (the ball) back up or it could be one point that changes the momentum." -- Freshman setter/defensive specialist Brooke Coleman, who led the team with a career-high 22 digs, on the importance of digging the ball
"I thought we we're great offensively in (sets) one and two, but it just ran out (in set three). All hitters were missing by just a little bit, and we've got to get rid of that." -- Theis on the team's performance in the third set and the beginning of the fourth set
Up Next
Ohio (20-4, 10-2 MAC) goes on its last road trip of the conference schedule to face Bowling Green and Miami next weekend. The Bobcats are tied for first place in the MAC, and hold a two game edge in the East.
Bowling Green (12-12, 8-4 MAC) will be looking to get revenge from Ohio's three set sweep over the Falcons on October 5th in The Convo. The Falcons have made up for a rough start to the season by winning six of their last nine matches.
Miami (10-13, 2-9 MAC) was defeated by Ohio in four sets in The Convo on October 4th. The RedHawks will be looking for their third conference victory as they take on the Bobcats on Saturday in Oxford.
