Then-junior outside hitter Erin Sekinger (12) spikes the ball during a match against Dabrowa Sept. 4, at St. John Arena. OSU won, 3-2.
Credit: Lantern file photo
The Ohio State women’s volleyball team left the two-day University of Oregon Invitational this weekend with a win and a pair of losses.
OSU first lost to Oregon on Friday, before falling against Illinois State and defeating Central Arkansas in matches on Saturday.
In the third match of the weekend and the second of the day on Saturday, against Central Arkansas, the Buckeyes won their first match of the season in four sets (25-20, 25-20, 24-26, 25-19).
Senior outside hitter Erin Sekinger had 12 kills for OSU throughout the four sets, while Sandbothe added 10. León averaged more than five digs per set while Schirmer added 11 total.
Schirmer had five kills in the fourth set to help spark the Buckeyes, while Mitchell, Sandbothe and Sekinger tallied three kills each.
Before taking on Central Arkansas the Buckeyes held a tight match against Illinois State, but lost to the Redbirds in five sets (19-25, 25-22, 25-21, 23-25, 14-16).
OSU held a 10-5 lead in the first set, but later gave up a 7-0 run.
The Buckeyes stormed back in the second and third sets to take a 2-1 overall lead on the Redbirds, before dropping the final two sets and the match.
Against Oregon, OSU kept it close in the first set before struggling in the second and third. Oregon won three straight sets (22-25, 12-25, 16-25) to knock off the Buckeyes.
Sophomore middle blocker Taylor Sandbothe had a team-high 13 points, which included nine kills, four blocks and an ace. Sophomore libero Valeria León led the team with 11 digs. In the first game of her OSU career, freshman outside hitter Luisa Schirmer totaled two kills and an ace.
OSU finished third overall at the University of Oregon Invitational.
Sandbothe was the only Buckeye named to the all-tournament squad. She led the Buckeyes with 35 kills, 20 blocks and five aces.
The Buckeyes are set to return to action Friday as they host the 9th Annual Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic at St. John Arena. OSU is scheduled to play a doubleheader with a game against Auburn at 12:30 p.m. and another against Florida Gulf Coast at 7:30 p.m. The Buckeyes are then slated to play Southern Illinois on Sunday at 2 p.m.
