Ohio State graduate outside hitter Emily Londot (22) spikes the ball during the match against Rutgers. Londot led the team with 18 kills to help the Buckeyes defeat the Scarlet Knights in three sets. Credit: Liam Ahern | Lantern Photographer
A dominant game from the Buckeyes’ outside hitters propelled them to a three-set sweep.
The Buckeyes (12-14, 5-11 Big Ten) beat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-22, 0-16 Big Ten) in three sets to close out their second match in as many days.
Outside hitter Emily Londot said the team came into the day with good energy, which translated to the high-scoring sets.
“I think we moved on quickly. We came in this morning for practice with good energy and intent,” Londot said. “I think that carried into this game today.”
Outside hitter Grace Egan helped the Buckeyes take an early 4-2 lead with a kill in the first set as she, and middle blocker Rylee Rader, shared a block.
The Buckeyes then scored three straight to put them up 14-8, thanks to a kill from outside hitter Emmi Sellman and an ace from setter Mia Tuman.
The timeout didn’t halt the Ohio State momentum as Londot earned a kill and helped the Buckeyes get their biggest lead of the set at 15-8.
Rader then got a quick hit over the net for set point at 24- 17. Rutgers got an attack error in the following play to give the Buckeyes the first set 25-19.
Head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg thought the service pressure in the first set helped the rest of the team.
“Our service pressure was good all night. It kept them off the net, made it more predictable, and got us in positions to stop their outsides,” Oldenburg said. “It allowed our defense to be more in convert mode instead of scramble mode. And I felt like we did an excellent job at taking balls and then, you know, going back on the attack at markers.”
The Buckeyes were in complete control in the second set as Egan helped the Buckeyes take an early 10-4 lead with four early kills.
Ohio State then scored four of the next five points, increasing its lead to eight.
A block from middle blocker Zaria Ragler and Tuman forced Rutgers to call a timeout as Tuman earned a kill and helped the Buckeyes go on a 5-0 run to secure the second set 25-16.
The third set started neck-and-neck as Londot had back-to-back kills to take a one-point lead 7-6.
Rutgers then went on a 5-1 run to take a three-point lead over Ohio State 12-9, forcing the Buckeyes to call a timeout. Libero Olivia Hasbrook helped Ohio State tie the set back 12 with back-to-back aces following the timeout.
Rutgers took the lead after scoring the following two points and maintained it until Londot tallied back-to-back kills to bring the Buckeyes back within one point
Ohio State scored the next two points, ignited by a kill from Egan. The Buckeyes took the lead 24-23, forcing Rutgers to call its second timeout of the set.
Rutgers then tied the set at 24 with a ball-handling error from Londot.
A Londot kill and Rutgers attack error allowed the Buckeyes to score the final two points of the third set, winning 26-24.
Londot finished the game with 18 kills on 30 attempts and credited her teammates for helping set her up.
“I think it comes down to our defense, our serve receive, and just our other hitters doing their jobs and opening up the block for me,” Londot said.
Oldenburg said Ragler helped the team set the tone in the third-set comeback win and flipped the momentum late in the set.
“I think the service pressure Zaria started, and then we had that. They had that time out, and then we made the switch just for a defensive sub. Kaitlyn Hoffman came in and did a great job for us,” Oldenburg said. “I mean, they had a big-time attack from their right side, number 14, and we were able to convert on it. And that just switched the momentum late in that set.”
