Sophomore outside hitter Jacob Pasteur (7) serves the ball during the Ohio State-Penn State game March 8. Ohio State lost 3-0 in sets. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor
Ohio State men’s volleyball fell to Lindenwood Friday in a hard-fought five-set game at Hyland Arena but defeated Quincy in three sets Saturday at Pepsi Center.
Lindenwood
Throughout all five sets Friday, the Buckeyes (10-12, 4-6) and Lions (8-9, 4-6) traded points with each team claiming the lead until the set point in each match.
The Buckeyes and Lions started set one 7-all until a 3-0 run gave the Buckeyes their first lead 12-9. After a Lindenwood timeout, the Lions went on a 4-0 run to tie it 20-all and then used a 24-23 advantage to win set one in overtime 26-24.
A kill from junior opposite hitter Samuel Clark started the Buckeyes off in set two with an early 4-0 lead.
After a 3-0 run by the Buckeyes capped off by a kill from sophomore outside hitter Jacob Pasteur and a pair of Lion errors, Ohio State led 15-11. The Buckeyes hit .516 and the Lions hit .200 in set two, finishing 25-20, to even the series 1-1.
In set three, each team remained within one point until Lindenwood took the first multiple-point lead of the set 11-9.
Ohio State responded with a 4-1 run and after a Lindenwood error and a Pasteur kill, the Lions called timeout with the Buckeyes leading 18-16.
Senior outside hitter Martin Lallemand scored two consecutive kills to give the Buckeyes a 24-23 lead, prompting a Lions timeout.
With the teams tied at 25-all, the score went back and forth until the Lions came out on top 30-28.
The Buckeyes fought back in set four, taking the largest lead of the set 17-12, and continued the momentum to finish off the set to force a fifth set with a 25-21 win to even the match.
The lead changed hands numerous times early in the fifth set, with neither team gaining more than a one-point lead until at 10-all a kill from senior outside hitter Phil Swartz gave the Lions the lead, forcing an Ohio State timeout.
The Buckeyes were unable to score another point after the timeout, and an ace from redshirt junior outside hitter Diego Negron on set point gave the Lions the fifth set win, taking the series 3-2.
Quincy
Quincy (4-14, 0-10) started the match with the first two points, but a 4-0 run gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the night 4-2 in the opening set Saturday.
Back-to-back kills from Pasteur and another by Clark extended the Buckeyes’ lead 15-9. The Buckeyes hit .522 and Quincy hit -.053 in the first set victory 25-17.
The Buckeyes led set two 14-8 until Quincy tied the set at 19-all after a 4-1 run, leading to an Ohio State timeout.
The Hawks then took a 22-21 lead until consecutive kills from Lallemand and Pasteur gave the Buckeyes a 23-22 lead.
A kill from sophomore outside hitter Michael Ladner tied the score 24-all, but the Buckeyes scored three of the next four points for the second set victory 27-25.
The Buckeyes and Hawks battled in set three until Ohio State took a 14-11 lead, but the Hawks countered and remained within one 16-15. The Buckeyes called a timeout with a 21-19 lead and finished set three 25-20, sweeping the Hawks in three-straight sets.
Ohio State faces Lewis University Thursday at the Covelli Center at 7 p.m. before the final home game of the season against McKendree Saturday at 5 p.m. The games will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
