The Ohio State volleyball team celebrates after the final play during the Ohio State-Michigan game on March 19. Ohio State won 3-1. Credit: Sophie Yates | Lantern Reporter
After beating the Fighting Irish in the first leg of its home-and-home Friday, the No. 3 Ohio State women’s volleyball team finished the sweep Sunday.
The Buckeyes won 3-2 against Notre Dame in its home-opener Sunday at the Covelli Center in a show of perseverance and fight to win their first five-set match of the season.
“After Friday’s match, we knew they would make adjustments and we knew they would come to battle, and they did that,” head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg said. “It was a great match for us to pull out and get us prepared for the Big Ten season.”
After Notre Dame took an early 5-2 lead, the Buckeyes scored five-consecutive points from a serving run by sophomore middle hitter Rylee Rader, forcing a Notre Dame timeout at 11-7. The Buckeyes continued to roll after the timeout with aggressive serving, forcing another Notre Dame timeout at 17-10. Ohio State eventually took the first set 25-17.
A back-and-forth second set had both teams tied at nine before consecutive errors had the Buckeyes trailing 9-11. Both teams were plagued by errors as the set went on, until Notre Dame cleaned up their level of play to take a 20-17 lead, forcing a Buckeyes timeout.
After the timeout, sophomore outside hitter Caroline Meuth led the way for the Fighting Irish with two consecutive kills, forcing another Buckeyes timeout at 18-23. The Buckeyes were unable to clean up their own level of play and Notre Dame took advantage, winning the second set 25-19.
The Buckeyes got off to a quick start in set three with an early 9-5 lead. Ohio State’s team consistency came back to life thanks to freshman middle hitter Arica Davis, who got the team fired up with two consecutive kills for a 21-18 Buckeyes lead. Ohio State went on to win the set 25-20.
Senior outside hitter Mia Grunze had a strong start in set four with an early solo block and a kill to help the Buckeyes to a 4-1 lead. However, Notre Dame fought back with a strong offensive performance of its own, taking the lead and forcing a Buckeyes timeout at 13-9.
Davis fired up the Buckeyes once again with thunderous kills out of the middle to get Ohio State back within three points, 20-23. A call reversal late in the set had the Buckeyes within one, but a service error cost them the set, 23-25.
The Buckeyes’ block was reestablished in set five with three stops to start the set for a 7-4 lead. Rader’s serve got the Fighting Irish out of system, forcing a Notre Dame timeout at 10-5. Rader finished the match with a kill for the Buckeye win, 15-9.
“Notre Dame came out fighting and really tested us the whole match, so credit to them,” Grunze said. “I think we showed that we could come together and come out with the win.”
Ohio State will start conference play as the second-highest ranked team in the Big Ten. Oldenburg said the team works hard to stay high in the rankings, but their main focus is to get better every game.
“I feel like having a five-set match leading into a conference like the Big Ten only helps us,” Oldenburg said. “We are looking forward to getting into our conference and seeing what we can do.”
Ohio State will play at No. 9 Purdue at 7 p.m. Friday to start Big Ten conference play.
