The then-No. 1 Ohio State men’s volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point on Penn State. The Buckeyes lost in four sets, 3-1 at the Covelli Center. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes traveled to Illinois to face two conference opponents over the weekend.
However, only one of the games ended in their favor.
The No. 6 Ohio State men’s volleyball team (8-3, 2-1 MIVA) beat No. 14 Lewis (7-4, 2-1 MIVA) and lost to No. 13 Loyola Chicago (7-6, 2-1 MIVA) Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
In Wednesday’s matchup against Lewis in Romeoville, Illinois, Ohio State won convincingly in three straight sets. Senior outside hitter Jacob Pasteur recorded a game-high with 17 kills and collected four aces.
The Flyers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first set off a kill by redshirt-senior opposite hitter Christian Prayer. The Buckeyes followed close behind until a service ace by sophomore opposite hitter Shane Wetzel put Ohio State on top 10-9.
The Buckeyes extended their lead to as many as six and one final Pasteur kill handed them the first set 25-20.
Ohio State then returned the favor, jumping in front early to start the second set. However, a kill by junior outside hitter Max Roquet kept Lewis close at a 10-9 score before the Buckeyes began to pull away.
A Lewis attack error and Pasteur termination put Ohio State up by 8 points. Two Prayer service aces brought the score back within three, but the Buckeyes remained undeterred and took the second set 25-21.
The Flyers scored first in the third set, and the teams traded points throughout until double kills from Pasteur put Ohio State up 17-14.
A Roquet slam and Buckeye attack error tied the score at 20, and it remained close until the end. A kill from redshirt-senior middle blocker Justin Howard put Ohio State at set point, and a Pasteur service ace rounded out the night.
The score of the third landed at 25-23 as the Buckeyes snagged the 3-0 victory.
Friday’s matchup against Loyola Chicago in Chicago ended differently as it resulted in a five-set defeat for Ohio State. Pasteur once again led the Buckeyes with 17 kills, and senior setter Noah Platfoot had a match-high 46 assists.
The first set began with a 5-0 Buckeye lead, and an Ohio State service error gave the Ramblers their first point of the match. Kills from Howard and Wetzel put the Buckeyes up by six as the score moved to 21-15.
Two kills from junior middle blocker Cole Young gave Ohio State the 25-18 first-set win.
Momentum shifted in the second set as Loyola Chicago moved to an early lead. Multiple attack errors by the Buckeyes pushed the score to 17-11 in favor of the Ramblers.
A final service ace by redshirt-junior outside hitter Parker Van Buren gave Loyola Chicago the second set with a 25-20 score.
Ohio State led early in the third set, as a Pasteur kill put the Buckeyes ahead 10-6. The Ramblers bounced back to take the 20-19 lead off a kill by Van Buren.
The two teams went point-for-point as the score pushed past regulation. A service ace by redshirt-freshman outside hitter Ben Putnam ended the third set with a 29-27 victory for the Buckeyes.
However, the Ramblers bounced back in the fourth set and gained an early 8-2 advantage. A Pasteur slam put the Buckeyes back within five, but the set slipped away from Ohio State as two Van Buren kills put Loyola Chicago up 24-14.
One final attack error by the Buckeyes finalized the fourth, putting the Ramblers on top 25-14.
Loyola Chicago jumped to a 5-0 lead in the fifth and final set. A Ramblers service error gave Ohio State its first point of the match, but an error on the Buckeyes’ end set the score at 9-2.
A Putnam kill gave Ohio State its fifth point of the set and Loyola Chicago did the remainder of the scoring. A kill by redshirt-senior outside hitter Jack Yentz led the Ramblers to set point, and they took the fifth by a score of 15-5.
Following this week’s road matchups, the Buckeyes will return to Columbus for a two-game stand against Quincy. The games take place Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. Both will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
