The No. 6 Ohio State women’s volleyball team defeated Iowa 3-1 Friday in Columbus. Credit: Casey Smith | Lantern TV Sports Producer
The No. 6 Ohio State women’s volleyball team extends its winning streak to eight games after a 3-1 victory over Iowa Friday.
The Buckeyes (13-5, 9-1 Big Ten) split the first two sets with the Hawkeyes (7-14, 1-9 Big Ten) but controlled the match from there on. Four different players collected at least 10 kills while the Buckeye defense held an opponent to hit under .200 for the ninth time in 10 matches.
The Hawkeyes took the first point of the match on a kill from sophomore outside hitter Michelle Urquhart. But after nine ties, a five-point run saw a lead change and a 15-13 Buckeye advantage.
Iowa created the 10th tie at 15, but a four-point Ohio State run gave enough cushion to run away for a 25-18 set victory.
Ohio State collected 15 kills in the set with senior outside hitters Jenaisya Moore and Gabby Gonzales tallied five apiece. The Buckeyes had a .441 team kill rate in the set, while Iowa managed a .333 rate.
“I have to give credit to my team. They allowed me to be in position that I am in right now.” Moore said. “Iron sharpens iron, and we push each other every day so that we can all be great together.”
Iowa took an early 2-0 lead in set two, and took its first timeout after four-consecutive Ohio State points while trailing 12-10. The Buckeye run turned into seven straight and tied the set at 12, with the two squads slugging out the remainder of the set tying six more times before Iowa ended Ohio State’s 13-set winning-streak 25-22.
The Hawkeyes held Ohio State to a .150 hit percentage with 10 errors in the set. Urquhart drove the Iowa offense early collecting nine kills in the first two sets, but cooled off and finished with 11.
“This was a team that we knew was going to come into battle,” Oldenburg said. “We knew they were going to play a style of play that we’re not used to.”
Even though Iowa grabbed several early one-point set leads, Ohio State found itself up 15-5, and Iowa had no timeouts. The Buckeyes finished the Hawkeyes off with a block by Moore to take the third set 25-10.
At the end of the set three different Buckeyes — Moore, Gonzales and junior outside hitter Emily Londot had at least 10 kills. Gonzales put up a double-double into the third, finishing with 15 kills and 15 digs.
“That second set, they played better than we did, and we just kind of seem to be going through the motions,” Oldenburg said. “Then we talked about working hard and when we work hard, and take care of our side, then you see the result of 25-10.”
The fourth set began just like the first three with an Iowa lead, but a Londot kill gave Ohio State the lead 3-2, and it never looked back. The Hawkeyes had nine kills in the match, but a cross-court laser by junior blocker Rylee Rader ended the set 25-18, with Ohio State winning the match 3-1.
Four Buckeyes had at least 10 kills in the match with senior defensive specialist Kylie Murr collecting a season-high 24 digs. Moore said that the ability to learn to trust her teammates gives her the confidence to attack offensively.
“Sometimes things just don’t really go your way, like how you expect them,” Moore said. “Leaning on my teammates, knowing that I can go for every single ball, every time with the same intensity, like they know where my intent is.”
Offensive fireworks
The cliché is that the best offense is a good defense, but Ohio State had four players reach at least 10 kills in the match. This is the second time of the season with the same four players reaching the mark.
Double-doubles
Senior setter Mac Podraza collected 52 assists and 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the year, and Gonzales added 15 kills and 17 digs for her sixth double-double of the year.
Up next
Ohio State attempts to extend its winning streak to nine games over rival Michigan on Wednesday at the Covelli Center at 7 p.m.
