The Ohio State men’s volleyball team huddles up to celebrate their win after the Ohio State-Loyola game on Feb. 20, 2021. Ohio State won 3-2. Credit: Christian Harsa | Special Projects Director
The Buckeyes lost both road contests as they began Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play this weekend.
No. 12 Ohio State (4-5, 0-2) fell to McKendree (4-3, 1-0) Thursday and No. 6 Lewis (7-3, 1-1) Saturday each in four sets.
McKendree
In set one, the Bearcats started with a 4-0 lead until sophomore outside hitter Jacob Pasteur recorded the first kill of the night to get the Buckeyes on the board.
Bearcats upped the lead to 11-5, and after a Buckeye timeout, the Bearcats kept up the pressure and took the first set 25-15.
Trailing early in the second set, a Buckeye kill and McKendree attack error brought Ohio State’s deficit to 10-7.
The Buckeyes went on a five-point run to take the score to 12-10, but the Bearcats countered with the next six points of their own to take a 16-12 lead.
The Buckeyes tied it 21-all but were unable to regain the lead, losing the second set 25-23.
Starting the third set 7-2, the Buckeyes kept up the pressure with kills from Talley, Pasteur and senior outside hitter Sean Ryan.
The Bearcats were able to close the gap 17-15, but the Buckeyes maintained momentum to take the third set 25-21.
The Buckeyes needed to secure the fourth set to push the Bearcats to a fifth set.
The Buckeyes and Bearcats kept the score close to start off the fourth set until Ohio State took its first lead 10-7.
The Buckeyes got up 20-19, forcing McKendree to take a timeout. After the break, the Bearcats came back to take the lead and the fourth set 25-22, closing out the series 3-1.
Ryan led the Buckeyes with 14 kills and Bearcat graduate student outside hitter Patrick Ross recorded a game-high 16 kills and tallied a .600 hitting percentage.
Lewis
The Flyers and Buckeyes started the first set going back and forth with neither team gaining more than a one-point advantage. After an ace from sophomore setter Noah Platfoot, the Buckeyes took their first lead 9-7.
The Flyers went on a four-point run, closing the gap to 16-15 after a kill from Flyers redshirt sophomore middle blocker Michael Sack.
Lewis then went on another four-point run, taking the first set 25-21.
The Buckeyes dominated the Flyers in the second set, tying the set 5-all, before going t on a 5-0 run to take the lead to 10-5.
Keeping up the momentum with four service aces by Pasteur, the Buckeyes secured the second set 25-16.
Maintaining a two-point lead throughout the third set by Lewis, a kill by junior middle blocker Samuel Clark tied the set 12-all.
The Buckeyes and Flyers went back and forth, each taking the lead by one point.
After two kills by Flyers graduate student middle blocker Tyler Mitchem, the Flyers took the third set 28-26.
Starting off the fourth set strong, the Buckeyes went up 13-10, resulting in a Flyers timeout.
Lewis then went on a 7-2 run to take a 17-15 lead. Continuing to battle, the Buckeyes were unable to secure the lead again, dropping the fourth set 25-22 and the series 3-1.
The Buckeyes return home to the Covelli Center for the first time in over a month to face Loyola Chicago at 7 p.m. Thursday and Purdue Fort Wayne at 3 p.m. Sunday.
