The No. 13 Ohio State men’s volleyball team huddles together during the Ohio State-Maryville match Jan. 20. Ohio State won 3-0. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor
A raucous Covelli Center crowd surrounded the court on which the Buckeyes set out for their second home win of the week.
Amid the highs and lows from the cheering crowd, redshirt senior outside hitter Jack Stevens, who had 11 kills in No. 13 Ohio State’s 3-0 sweep of Lewis Saturday, and the Buckeyes kept laser focus.
“When we’re playing, I think we’re all pretty dialed in,” Stevens said.
Ohio State (9-3, 2-0 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) claimed narrow 25-23 and 25-22 set victories to start the match before pulling away from the Flyers (7-6, 1-1 MIVA) and earning the sweep by six points in the final set.
The first set began with a game of catch-up for the Buckeyes, falling behind the Flyers who obtained a lead of three points the majority of the set.
There were noticeable holes in the defensive side for the Buckeyes.
“We had to make a ton of adjustments,” senior middle blocker Samuel Clark said.
The adjustments were made to try and stop Lewis redshirt junior opposite hitter Christian Prayer, who finished with 10 kills and a .182 hitting percentage, as he “was on fire early on,” according to Clark.
Once the Buckeyes tied the set at 18 points through a Stevens kill, the Flyers were forced into a timeout.
After the timeout, the set became a back-and-forth race for the lead for the 25 points. The Buckeyes and the Flyers tied the set at 19, 20, 21 and 23 points.
Through a service ace made by sophomore outside hitter Kyle Teune, the Buckeyes took the first set 25-23.
The second set began similar to the first, and the Flyers held onto a five-point lead.
The Buckeyes slowly but surely increased their momentum and the Flyers took their first timeout of the set at 13-12.
“I think we were all getting used to our system and playing with each other,” Stevens said. “Someone’s got to hit the floor before the ball does.”
The Buckeyes rattled off kills in four of the next five series, prompting a Lewis timeout once Ohio State held a 17-13 lead.
The Buckeyes called their last timeout of the set when the Flyers, led by sophomore outside hitter Max Roquet made four kills, began to catch up with the team at 23-21.
During point 24, the top referee called that the ball touched the ground before redshirt freshman libero Grant Strong was able to get the dig.
The Buckeyes called for a challenge and were deemed successful. The set point came soon after a service error was made by Flyers, giving Ohio State the second set 25-22.
“You can be frustrated but as soon as the next play comes around, you’re worried about the next play, you can’t get caught up on a bad call or a challenge not going our way,” Clark said.
The Buckeyes gained four points in a row before the Flyers called a timeout at 8-5 early in the third set.
With Ohio State ahead 14-10, the Lewis Flyers challenged the point for a block touch by the Buckeyes.
The challenge was called a success, but the excitement from the Flyers was short lived, as the next point by a junior outside hitter Jacob Pasteur helped Ohio State maintain a 15-11 lead.
The Flyers appeared to lose momentum and energy on the court as the Buckeyes maintained a five-point lead through the majority of the set.
The lead continued to grow as the Flyers were left behind, though after the Buckeyes reached point 23, Lewis gained three points in a row and made the score 23-19.
The Buckeyes captured set and match point after an attack error was made by the Flyers, which they challenged, and the Covelli Center crowd waited in anticipation.
“We had enough lead to that if it didn’t go our way somehow, we’re ready for the next point,” Clark said.
With the call favoring Ohio State, the match was won for the Buckeyes 25-19, extending their winning ways to three match in a row and eight of the past 10.
The next two weeks for the Buckeyes will be away, starting with Purdue Fort Wayne in Indiana Thursday at 8 p.m.
