Pregame
Ohio (27-4) entered Saturday on an 11-match winning streak after claiming the Mid-American Conference Tournament title in Geneva last weekend. The Bobcats had won each of their last five matches in straight set sweeps.
The Bobcats were heading to Richmond, Va., to face Virginia Commonwealth in their last regular season match before the NCAA Tournament that starts next week.
Coach Ryan Theis was named the MAC coach of the year on Wednesday. With a victory against VCU, Theis would become the all-time winningest coach in program history, as he was tied with former coach Geoff Carlson (2003-07) with 144 wins.
VCU (25-8) entered the match after being defeated 3-1 in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament finals against Duquesne last weekend. The Rams finished second in their conference and were No. 64 in the NCAA's Ratings Percentage Index rankings before Saturday, opposed to the Bobcats' No. 35 rating.
The Rams are led by the A-10 player of the year in sophomore outside hitter Romana Kriskova, who sat at fifth in the NCAA with 4.86 kills per set before Saturday's match. Also on VCU's roster is the A-10 libero of the year, junior Amanda Love, who averaged 3.74 digs per set before this weekend.
VCU junior middle blocker Janelle Sykes led the blocking for VCU with 1.38 blocks per set, which was good for 21st in the NCAA — just four spots ahead of Ohio graduate student middle blocker Alexis Pinson.
Ohio was 2-0 against VCU prior to Saturday's match, including a straight-set sweep in Athens during the most recent meeting in 2010.
First Set
Ohio started the match by getting off to a 9-3 lead in the first set, including a three-point swing with an ace by Kelly Lamberti and a kill each by Karin Bull and Katie Horton. VCU called timeout.
The Bobcats then came right out of the timeout with the first two points, both on VCU attack errors. Two kills by Katie Horton and a kill each by Kelly Lamberti and Alexis Pinson extended Ohio's run to 12-2. The Bobcats then led 16-5.
A VCU point followed the Ohio streak, but two straight kills by Mallory Salis and a kill by Lamberti increased the Bobcats' lead to 14. VCU called timeout, as it trailed 20-6.
Ohio increased its run to 17-3, but VCU came back with two straight points after that. Three of the next four points were taken by the Bobcats, which put them at set point, as they led 24-9.
Four straight points by the Rams helped them fight off set point for a little bit, but Ohio was able to close out the dominating opening set with Bull's fourth kill on the night.
Final: Ohio 25, VCU 13
Second Set: Ohio 1, VCU 0
Both teams exchanged points until the score was 6-5 VCU. The Rams then put together two straight points, increasing their lead to 8-5.
After that, more back and forth action took place, until three straight points put VCU up by four. Ohio called timeout, as it trailed 13-9.
A 5-1 run by VCU put the Rams up by a score of 18-11. Ohio called another timeout.
After the timeout Ohio was able to pull within four points after a 4-0 run late in the set. VCU called timeout, while still holding a 21-17 lead.
A 3-1 run by VCU put it at set point, but a kill each by Liis Kullerkann and Bull put Ohio within four points. The Rams then put the Bobcats away with a kill, as they took the second set by five.
Final: Ohio 20, VCU 25
Third Set: Ohio 1, VCU 1
The Bobcats started the third set with 5-2 and 7-3 leads, but VCU was able to come back with six of the next eight points to tie the set at 9 apiece.
The teams went back and forth, but then a 4-1 run by VCU — including three straight Ohio errors — put the Rams ahead 15-12.
A kill each by Abby Gilleland and Alexis Pinson pulled Ohio within one point, but a 5-2 VCU run gave the Rams a 20-16 lead.
The teams exchange points as VCU got closer to set point, but three straight points by Ohio tied the set at 23. The teams then went back and forth to force ties at 24 and 25.
An Ohio service error and VCU service ace strung together two points for VCU, giving it the set in sudden death.
Final: Ohio 25, VCU 27
Fourth Set: Ohio 1, VCU 2
Ohio started on a 3-1 run, but VCU came back to take leads of 6-4, 8-5 and 9-6 early in the set.
Ohio was then able to put together a 4-1 run to tie the match up at 10, including two kills by Horton. The teams then exchanged a point each, making the score 11-11.
Five straight points by VCU pulled the Rams back ahead in the set. The Bobcats called timeout, as they trailed 16-11.
VCU scored four of the next five points, but Ohio came back with a 6-2 run, forcing VCU to call timeout. The Rams led 22-18.
Ohio won four of the next six points, but the Bobcats weren't able to stop the Rams from the win. A kill by VCU finished off Ohio in four sets.
Final: Ohio 22, VCU 25
Final: Ohio 1, VCU 3 (25-13, 20-25, 25-27, 22-25)
Ohio
Abby Gilleland - 41 assists, 11 digs, 5 kills, 1 ace
Katie Horton - 13 kills, 3 blocks, 1 dig
Kelly Lamberti - 10 digs, 8 kills, 1 ace, 3 assists
Meredith Ashy - 10 digs, 7 assists, 1 ace
Karin Bull - 11 kills, 1 block
VCU
Romana Kriskova - 16 kills, 13 digs, 1 block, 1 assist
Kaitlyn LaMantia - 47 assists, 5 kills, 4 digs
Amanda Love - 18 digs, 1 kill, 3 assists
Up Next
The loss by the Bobcats snaps their 11-match winning streak, as well as their five match sweep-streak.
Ohio (27-5) will now await its fate in the NCAA Tournament until announced on the Selection Show on ESPNU Sunday at 9:30 p.m. The Bobcats' MAC Tournament Title secures them a spot in the post-season tournament.
