Ohio State women’s volleyball defeats Buffalo in five sets on Saturday. Credit: Jack Macey | Lantern Reporter
The Buckeyes have now won two games in two days.
One day after upsetting the No. 20 Miami Hurricanes, Ohio State (6-2) defeated the University of Buffalo Bulls (3-6) in five sets Saturday at the Covelli Center in its second match of the Sports Imports Classic.
The first set opened with multiple back-and-forth volleys, as both teams traded points early on.
A three-point scoring run with two assists coming from Buffalo senior setter Mandy Leigh forced the Buckeyes to take their first timeout, trailing 12-8.
Despite two kills from graduate senior outside hitter Emily Londot, defensive mental errors from Ohio State set them back even further, paving the way for a Buffalo win in the opening set 25-16.
A total of nine attack errors in set one left the Buckeyes with a .094 hitting percentage.
Coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg stressed the importance of staying level-headed from the previous night’s win against Miami.
“I think we just kind of walked around the court and expected to win,” Oldenburg said. “We can’t let the results of them or us the previous day or even previous weekends determine how we prepare for it.”
Buffalo jumped out to a 5-2 in the second set thanks to a pair of kills by sophomore outside hitter/right-side hitter Manoela Forlin.
The Buckeyes were able to fight back into the game, eventually taking the lead and capitalizing off back-to-back Buffalo attack errors.
That’s when a switch flipped.
Ohio State scored six straight points, causing the Bulls to use their second timeout of the set, trailing 15-9.
Londot and graduate senior middle blocker Rylee Rader regained control of the net, teaming up to block two Bulls shots.
A service error from Buffalo freshman outside hitter Eve Adams sealed the deal for the Buckeyes in the second set 25-19.
Sophomore setter Mia Tuman distributed the Ohio State attack, notching 13 assists.
Tuman credited her teammates’ striking abilities for her game-leading 51 assists.
“I got the best hitters, I got some great middles,” Tuman said. “I’m lucky to have hitters who are really aggressive, get their feet to the ball and can just take rips wherever I put it.”
The third set saw the Buckeyes gain a 6-1 lead, resulting in an early Buffalo timeout.
Forlin and freshman middle blocker Luli Arcucci answered back for the Bulls with multiple kills, cutting the Buckeye lead to just a point.
Buffalo led 22-19 as the Buckeyes were forced to take their final timeout of the set.
It didn’t matter, though, as Buffalo powered to a 25-21 victory in the third.
To open the fourth set, Londot scored three kills and tallied an assisted block with Rader to go ahead 6-1.
Oldenburg said the team relies on Londot in the biggest moments.
“Londot swinging like that and taking big grips helps everybody else kind of loosen up and lighten the load a bit.”
Ohio State extended its lead to 11-2, but the Bulls clawed back to cut the lead to just one.
As the crowd stood to its feet, Londot softly tapped the ball in between Buffalo defenders to take set four 25-21 and force a fifth set.
Buffalo took a 5-2 lead to start the final set, but two attack errors from the Bulls gave Ohio State a mere 7-6 lead, which was followed by a timeout by Buffalo.
With the score 14-11, Londot secured the final point and secured the victory for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes will play their third and final game of the Sports Imports Classic Sunday at 2 p.m. against Wright State at the Covelli Center.
