The Ohio State Women’s Volleyball team stands together to sing Carmen Ohio after the Ohio State-Michigan game on March 19. Ohio State won 3-1. Credit: Sophie Yates | For the Lantern
The Ohio State women’s volleyball team won in three sets over Notre Dame Friday in South Bend, Indiana, during the first match of a home-and-home with the Fighting Irish.
The Buckeyes (9-0) took an early 7-3 lead in the first set with five Ohio State players getting early kills. Ohio State kept a four point lead for most of the set until Notre Dame (3-6) went on a 4-0 run to tie the game at 21-all. A tough fight to finish the set ended with the Buckeyes winning 25-23 after a kill by sophomore middle hitter Rylee Rader.
The Fighting Irish came out strong in the second set until senior outside hitter Mia Grunze had three-consecutive kills for a 10-6 Buckeye lead. The Buckeyes continued to roll in the second set, forcing a Notre Dame timeout at 17-12. After the timeout, Notre Dame went on a mini-run to get within two points of the Buckeyes, but were unable to take the lead. The Buckeyes won 25-19.
After surrendering the first point of set three, the Buckeyes led the rest of the set. Ohio State went on a 9-2 run to lead 19-10. Notre Dame cut the lead down to 23-19, but the Buckeyes scored the final two points of the set to close out the match, 25-19.
Sophomore opposite hitter Emily Londot reached double-digit kills for the sixth match of the season with a season-high 23 kills — just one shy of her career high. The Buckeyes had their second-best hitting percentage of the season with .394 and marked the first time Ohio State totaled more than 50 kills during a three-set match.
Ohio State will take on Notre Dame for its home-opener at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Covelli Center.
