The No. 13 Buckeyes swept No. 10 Loyola Chicago on their senior night Saturday and claimed a share of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular-season championship for the first time in five years. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor
The No. 13 Buckeyes swept No. 10 Loyola Chicago on their senior night Saturday and claimed a share of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular-season championship for the first time in five years.
The Ohio State men’s volleyball team (19-9, 11-3 MIVA) put on an intense and emotional match as it played against the Ramblers (21-6, 11-3 MIVA), who entered atop the conference standings. The Buckeyes gave their seniors a momentous sendoff in the final match of the regular season.
The fans jumped from their seats at the Covelli Center and the team bench ran to the court as the Buckeyes took the third set and the match following a Loyola Chicago attack error 25-23.
“Coming into the match emotions were high, a couple of tears were shed,” redshirt junior setter Michael Wright said. “We were a little frantic, just our emotions were high and once we came back down, things were going our way.”
Before the Buckeyes faced the Ramblers, they sent off this season’s senior group of middle blocker Sam Clark, redshirt senior outside hitter Jack Stevens and Wright.
“I love this team, and everyone’s got each other’s back,” Stevens said.
The fight for the lead began quickly as the Buckeyes tied with the Ramblers at point two from a Wright kill all the way to point nine.
The Ramblers took a two-point lead after a three-point run ended with a redshirt sophomore setter Dan Mangun service ace and an attack error made by sophomore middle blocker Cole Young 11-9.
Both teams would tie all the way to point 15 as the momentum from the Buckeyes seemed to be diminishing, letting the Ramblers achieve a four-point run 18-15.
“They’ve got a team loaded full of really great players,” Stevens said.
Ohio State began to pick up its pace as it prevented the Ramblers from winning the set at point 25, tying with them at 24 through a freshman opposite Shane Wetzel kill.
The battle for the two-point lead began as the court filled with intensity and aggression as the Buckeyes went back and forth with the Ramblers up to point 27.
After an attack error was made by Rambler redshirt sophomore opposite hitter Parker Van Buren, the Buckeyes took the first set with the sound of a Young kill hitting the floor 29-27.
The Ramblers established control early into the second set through a four-point run ending with a Van Buren kill 6-2.
“He’s one of the best players in the conference,” Wright said. “That was a big target for us tonight.”
The Buckeyes inched their way closer with the help of three Rambler service errors. Block assists from Wright, Young and Stevens.
“We were a little spotty tonight and just trying to score when it mattered,” Wright said.
Both teams tied up to point 14 before the Buckeyes took their first lead of the set from a Stevens kill. The Ramblers called for their first timeout 15-14.
The Ramblers took a two-point lead through a block from Van Buren, redshirt junior outside hitter Jack Yentz and junior middle blocker Jimmy Meinhart and a Van Buren kill 21-19.
The lead flipped as the Buckeyes took the next three points due to a Yentz service error, Pasteur kill and Wright service ace as the Ramblers called for their last timeout 22-21.
Buckeyes pushed through the battle for the lead and took the second set through a Stevens kill and a Rambler team error 28-26.
Like the previous sets, the Ramblers maintained control in the beginning of the third set until the Buckeyes pushed a three-point run through a Yentz service error and two attack errors by graduate outside hitter Nick Martinski to knot at six.
The Ramblers struggled to maintain a steady lead as the Buckeyes continued to tie with them from point 12 up until point 19. Ohio State then gained a 21-19 lead through two blocks.
Van Buren committed an attack error that allowed Ohio State to emerge victorious. It’s the first time the Buckeyes have claimed at least a share of the conference title since 2018.
“Defense was huge for us tonight,” Stevens said. “We’ve done a pretty good job establishing ourselves as a pretty complete team, so when one thing is not going, we got our defense or our serving to pick it up.”
With their regular season over, the Buckeyes will wait to learn their next opponent before kicking off the MIVA Tournament. Ohio State will host the opening round beginning April 15 at 7 p.m.
