Ohio State senior middle blocker Lauren Witte (12) and freshman opposite hitter Emily Londot (22) block a Maryland shot during the Ohio State-Maryland game on Jan. 23. Ohio State won 3-2. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Ohio State women’s volleyball team is showing it is a force to be reckoned with after taking care of business against rival Michigan.
No. 9 Ohio State (14-1) by no means felt obligated to be gracious on its floor while hosting Michigan (4-4,), claiming a 3-1 victory during the first match of their series this season. The night ended the seven-game win streak the Wolverines held over the Buckeyes.
“I think we just stayed in the long rallies,” senior defensive specialist Hannah Gruensfelder said. “We were just ready on defense trying to get balls up, and I think us just hanging in the game and making sure we were the aggressors taking them on was huge for us.”
The Buckeyes stuck it out point-for-point with the Wolverines, coming up with narrow wins in all sets but one. Although losing in the second set, the Buckeyes came out strong during the third, securing seven unanswered points against the Wolverines, creating a deficit that they were unable to come back from.
“I think it’s just a reflection of how hard these guys work, day in, day out, in the weight room, on the court with each other, for each other, I think that helped us tonight for sure,” head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg said.
Ohio State freshman middle blocker Rylee Rader racked up 13 kills, while senior middle blocker Lauren Witte and freshman opposite hitter Emily Londot each contributed 11 kills apiece.
For the Wolverines, freshman opposite hitter Jess Mruzik recorded a double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs. Junior opposite hitter Paige Jones had 10 kills for the evening, hitting 1,000 kills in her career for Michigan.
For the Ohio State defense, sophomore defensive specialist Kylie Murr dug 26 balls, while Gruensfelder dug 22.
Gruensfelder led her team with six service aces.
“As a defender, you don’t get a lot of chances to get a point that’s just your own, like a block or a kill, so it was huge to just be able to go back there and get my team that momentum and make sure I was leading them in the right direction with some energy and some speed,” Gruensfelder said.
With a .200 hitting percentage, 55 kills and 82 digs, the Buckeyes’ performance was an all-around team success.
“I feel like we can play a lot better,” Oldenburg said. “I think we gave Michigan some confidence that I’d rather not give them, but all in all I feel like when we were serving tough we put ourselves in good positions to win those points.”
The Buckeyes will take on Michigan again at the Covelli Center Saturday at 6 p.m.
