Ohio State junior opposite Shane Wetzel (6) jumps to spike the ball during the match against Lindenwood. The No. 15 Buckeyes defeated the Lions 3-1. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor
Ohio State has won two straight and may be peaking at just the right time.
The No. 15 Buckeyes (5-6, 2-1 MIVA) capitalized on early momentum and dominant service play to defeat Lindenwood 3-1 (3-6, 0-3 MIVA) Saturday at the Covelli Center.
Opposite hitter Shane Wetzel led the match with 15 kills, while libero Grant Strong contributed 45 assists to guide Ohio State’s offense.
Ohio State came out firing on all cylinders in the first set, quickly establishing a 7-2 lead behind two kills from Wetzel and three Lindenwood errors.
Despite a momentum-stopping kill by Lions opposite hitter Jacob Christopher, Lindenwood struggled to find a rhythm early on.
A second 7-2 run by the Buckeyes — which was capped by back-to-back kills from middle blocker Cole Young — extended their lead to 20-8.
Young delivered the final blow with a kill to secure a dominant 25-12 first-set victory.
Lindenwood struck first in the second set, opening with a 5-3 lead powered by two early kills from Christopher.
But Ohio State regained control with four straight points.
Lions outside hitter Carter Stenmark kept the set competitive with a service ace, but another four-point Buckeye run gave Ohio State what appeared to be a comfortable lead.
With momentum against them, Lindenwood rallied for a 6-1 run to tie the set at 24.
Wetzel stepped up in the clutch, sealing the set with back-to-back kills to give Ohio State a 26-24 win and a 2-0 set lead.
“We knew we were the better team,” Wetzel said. “It came down to playing our own game and not worrying about what they were doing.”
Ohio State carried its momentum into the third as it scored the set’s first two points.
A service ace from Young extended the Buckeyes advantage to 8-5.Lindenwood responded with a 5-1 run, punctuated by a kill from middle blocker Owen Walsh.
A service error from Stenmark temporarily leveled the set, but the Lions maintained control for the remainder, fending off a late Buckeye push led by Wetzel and senior outside hitter Kyle Teune to claim a 25-21 win.
“The third set was trying—they’re a team that’s going to try and get you rattled and under your skin,” head coach Kevin Burch said. “I thought Shane and Teune really led the way in keeping our guys focused and not giving into what they were trying to do.”
Chacinski was particularly proud of his squad’s defensive play.
“We put much more effort into our defense and we were more focused on our service,” Chacinski said. “We went on longer runs and were able to take advantage of them through those, which helped us maintain control.”
The Lions struggled to carry their momentum into the fourth though, as they committed four errors across five points to allow Ohio State to jump out to an early 7-4 lead.
Chacinski helped extend the Buckeyes’ advantage with three consecutive service aces.
As back-to-back Ohio State errors allowed Lindenwood to stay within reach, a 9-4 Buckeye run midway through the set pushed their lead to 20-12.
And again, the Lions fought back with a 5-2 run led by Christopher, but Ohio State held firm and closed out the set 25-19 off a Chacinski kill.
“I just think we’re learning how to win,” Burch said. “The number one thing by far was leadership. That was something we talked about after losing a lot of seniors last year.”
The Buckeyes will hit the road to face No. 18 McKendree University on Thursday at 8 p.m. The match will be streamed on Big Ten+.
