When the Ohio State Women's Volleyball season ended, I was certainly hoping the OSU would get a chance to host in the NCAA Tournament. Even after dropping the season finale at home to Michigan, I though that this team had proven they deserved a chance to have a home court advantage. Not only was the team very good all season long, but the fans at St. John provided one of the best atmospheres in Women's Volleyball on a regular basis.
Alas, Ohio State did not get a chance to host and found out they were headed to Lexington, KY where they would be taking on Notre Dame in Round 1.
No matter what, you can't take a tournament game for granted and Ohio State did not. The Buckeye women came out in dominating fashion winning the first set 25-16. Ohio State then completed the sweep with set wins of 25-21 and 25-17.
Just as she has all season long, Mari Hole played well for the Buckeyes as she put down 14 kills compared to only 4 errors. The real star, though, was Kaitlyn Leary. Leary finished the match with 16 kills and no errors, which is truly astounding. Mariah booth chipped in with 9 kills while Emily Danks did her part, putting down 8 with 0 errors.
Amanda Peterson had 42 assists and Davi DiSalvatore picked up 13 digs.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Ohio State Women's Volleyball: Regular Season Review
The Ohio State Women's Volleyball team has wrapped up their season, and what a year it was. The Buckeye women wrapped up regular season play with a 22-10 overall record, they went 13-7 in the conference. This included a 7-6 record at home and an 11-2 mark on the road.
To review the season's exploits we can start with the season opening Sports Imports DC Koehl Classic at St. John Arena. The Buckeyes opened play vs. Houston, winning 3-0, the next day Ohio State played twice, beating Toledo 3-0 before dropping the tournament championship to Oregon, 2-3.
The next week, the Buckeyes traveled to College Park for the Maryland Invitational. They opened up tournament play with a 3-0 victory against Binghamton. On the first of September Ohio State captured the tournament victory two wins, a sweep of Seton Hall and a 3-2 win against Maryland in the finale.
After College Park the team looked towards Bowling Green, KY for the WKU Tournament. Ohio State got another title as they won all three of their matches. Opening the tournament the Buckeye Women picked up a big 3-2 win against then #10 Dayton. OSU then beat IUPUI 3-1 before closing out Western Kentucky with another 3-1 win.
Ohio State's last pre-season tournament was the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup in Houston, Texas. The Buckeyes picked up two losses at this tournament but still won their last game. Geoff Carlston and his team opened play with a 0-3 loss to Pepperdine before falling to Florida State 1-3. The Buckeyes closed the tournament on a high note with a 3-1 victory against Houston.
From their Big Ten play finally got under way with the Buckeyes opening their regular season in dominating fashion, beating Iowa 3-0 at home. After that the Buckeyes fell to Nebraska (1-3) at home before traveling to Minnesota and dropping their second straight (0-3). The Women took a four game winning streak into the Purdue game after wins over Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, and Indiana. The Buckeyes again dropped two straight, both at home, with a 1-3 loss to Purdue and an 0-3 loss to Penn State. The Buckeyes won their next four games, over Michigan State, Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin, then lost to Minnesota yet again. That loss marked a short blip before another four game winning streak, the Buckeye Women then closed their season with two straight losses, one at Penn State before dropping the season finale at home against That Team Up North.
To review the season's exploits we can start with the season opening Sports Imports DC Koehl Classic at St. John Arena. The Buckeyes opened play vs. Houston, winning 3-0, the next day Ohio State played twice, beating Toledo 3-0 before dropping the tournament championship to Oregon, 2-3.
The next week, the Buckeyes traveled to College Park for the Maryland Invitational. They opened up tournament play with a 3-0 victory against Binghamton. On the first of September Ohio State captured the tournament victory two wins, a sweep of Seton Hall and a 3-2 win against Maryland in the finale.
After College Park the team looked towards Bowling Green, KY for the WKU Tournament. Ohio State got another title as they won all three of their matches. Opening the tournament the Buckeye Women picked up a big 3-2 win against then #10 Dayton. OSU then beat IUPUI 3-1 before closing out Western Kentucky with another 3-1 win.
Ohio State's last pre-season tournament was the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup in Houston, Texas. The Buckeyes picked up two losses at this tournament but still won their last game. Geoff Carlston and his team opened play with a 0-3 loss to Pepperdine before falling to Florida State 1-3. The Buckeyes closed the tournament on a high note with a 3-1 victory against Houston.
From their Big Ten play finally got under way with the Buckeyes opening their regular season in dominating fashion, beating Iowa 3-0 at home. After that the Buckeyes fell to Nebraska (1-3) at home before traveling to Minnesota and dropping their second straight (0-3). The Women took a four game winning streak into the Purdue game after wins over Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, and Indiana. The Buckeyes again dropped two straight, both at home, with a 1-3 loss to Purdue and an 0-3 loss to Penn State. The Buckeyes won their next four games, over Michigan State, Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin, then lost to Minnesota yet again. That loss marked a short blip before another four game winning streak, the Buckeye Women then closed their season with two straight losses, one at Penn State before dropping the season finale at home against That Team Up North.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Ohio State Women's Volleyball (Nov. 2-4)
It was an up and down weekend for the Ohio State Women's Volleyball team. They came into the weekend playing extremely well, having beaten #4 Nebraska earlier on.
On Friday they came out firing, blowing away Wisconsin through the first two sets. The third set was a different story, the Buckeyes lost all of their momentum and fell 23-25. That was in stark contrast to the first two sets which they won 25-16 and 25-15. The women came out in the fourth set and still hadn't regained that momentum, it was tight all the way through. Ohio State ended up sneaking out with a 30-28 set victory and a 3-1 match victory.
Mari Hole had 15 kills to lead the Buckeyes, Kaitlyn Leary added 14, and Emily Danks chipped in with 12 kills. Davi DiSalvatore came up with an impressive 31 digs and Amanda Peterson pitched in with 37 assists and 9 kills. For the Badgers, Julie Mikaelsen led the way with 13 kills and Alexis Mitchell added 10.
Today, Sunday November 4th, Ohio State took on Minnesota in a matchup of top-15 teams. The Buckeyes are ranked 15th nationally while the Golden Gophers are 10th.
Mari Hole tied a career high with 26 kills in what looked like it was going to be an Ohio State sweep. The Buckeyes took the first two sets (25-23, 25-21) before falling in the third 27-25. It only got worse from there as the Ohio State squad was smashed in the fourth set, 25-13, before falling in the fifth 15-12.
Hole was even better than her usual self while Leary added 17 kills and Danks came in with 11. Amanda Peterson had another superb match, totaling 48 assists. DiSalvatore posted 23 digs and an ace. For Minnesota, Katherine Harms took over late and finished with 17 kills, Daly Santana pitched in 15 kills, although she had a very up and down match, and Dana Knudsen had 11 kills. Tori Dixon turned out to be the star of the match as she finished with 14 kills and only one error. Setter Alexandra Palmer added 53 assists.
On Friday they came out firing, blowing away Wisconsin through the first two sets. The third set was a different story, the Buckeyes lost all of their momentum and fell 23-25. That was in stark contrast to the first two sets which they won 25-16 and 25-15. The women came out in the fourth set and still hadn't regained that momentum, it was tight all the way through. Ohio State ended up sneaking out with a 30-28 set victory and a 3-1 match victory.
Mari Hole had 15 kills to lead the Buckeyes, Kaitlyn Leary added 14, and Emily Danks chipped in with 12 kills. Davi DiSalvatore came up with an impressive 31 digs and Amanda Peterson pitched in with 37 assists and 9 kills. For the Badgers, Julie Mikaelsen led the way with 13 kills and Alexis Mitchell added 10.
Today, Sunday November 4th, Ohio State took on Minnesota in a matchup of top-15 teams. The Buckeyes are ranked 15th nationally while the Golden Gophers are 10th.
Mari Hole tied a career high with 26 kills in what looked like it was going to be an Ohio State sweep. The Buckeyes took the first two sets (25-23, 25-21) before falling in the third 27-25. It only got worse from there as the Ohio State squad was smashed in the fourth set, 25-13, before falling in the fifth 15-12.
Hole was even better than her usual self while Leary added 17 kills and Danks came in with 11. Amanda Peterson had another superb match, totaling 48 assists. DiSalvatore posted 23 digs and an ace. For Minnesota, Katherine Harms took over late and finished with 17 kills, Daly Santana pitched in 15 kills, although she had a very up and down match, and Dana Knudsen had 11 kills. Tori Dixon turned out to be the star of the match as she finished with 14 kills and only one error. Setter Alexandra Palmer added 53 assists.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Buckeyes prepare for final regular season match up
After getting a win, loss and a draw in the last three games, the Ohio State men's soccer team are looking to close out their regular season campaign with a home win against Wisconsin on Sunday.
The Buckeyes had three commendable performances in a row, with only one of them leading to a win.
That win came against in-state rival Wright State, who travelled to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium with only three wins. Ohio State showed their superiority through much of the first half, going a goal up through Sage Gardner's penalty kick. But a lack of concentration cost them that lead and the momentum, as the Raiders' leading scorer Brett Elder equalized with only 5 minutes to go in the half.
The home team did find their way again though, with senior Chris Hegngi netting only his second goal of the season. It was good enough to give Ohio State a 2-1 victory, their 5th home win and 6th overall.
A week later it was arguably the Buckeyes's biggest game of the year, as #2 ranked Akron came into Columbus for what was to be their most difficult test yet.
Even though Akron had the majority of the possession and play, Ohio State could honestly say that the game produced some of their best attacking of the year. The Buckeyes created at least 5-6 strong saves from Zips goalie David Meves, each one seemingly better than the last.
Eventually the Ohio State defense came undone, and Akron ran away with the victory thanks to a solitary goal from Reinaldo Brenes.
Ohio State's final road game of the year was in State College, Pennsylvania, as they face the Penn State Nittany Lions.
In what can only be described as a topsy-turvy tussle, the two teams battled to a 4-4 draw. The hosts took the lead in only the ninth minute, but the Buckeyes came storming back to take a 2-1 lead with goals from Kenny Cunningham and Chris Hegngi. Penn State did equalize minutes later through Marvin Ledgister, and it was 2-2 going into the dressing rooms.
The second half looked to have been going the Nittany Lions way, as goals from Julian Cordona and Daniel Parr gave them what looked like an unassailable 4-2 lead with 10 minutes to go.
But Ohio State had other ideas. A Louie Berra strike in the 81st minute, and an own goal in the 88th gave them an unlikely reprieve, and the game somehow went into overtime.
Neither side could find a winner, and Ohio State came out with what must be considered a precious point. It was the Buckeyes first result of any kind in the Big Ten, a stat which highlights the difficulties they've experienced.
They have a chance to finally get a win in conference, in their last game of the season against Wisconsin. Though the Buckeyes sit last in the Big Ten standings, the Badgers are right above them with only one win. An Ohio State victory on Sunday could pull them equal with the team from Madison, with their conference records becoming identical, though Wisconsin would have one less loss the season overall.
In any case, this Buckeyes squad will go into the Big Ten tournament as one of its two lowest seeds, meaning the message is clear: the road to a conference championship will be an extremely tough one.
The Buckeyes had three commendable performances in a row, with only one of them leading to a win.
That win came against in-state rival Wright State, who travelled to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium with only three wins. Ohio State showed their superiority through much of the first half, going a goal up through Sage Gardner's penalty kick. But a lack of concentration cost them that lead and the momentum, as the Raiders' leading scorer Brett Elder equalized with only 5 minutes to go in the half.
The home team did find their way again though, with senior Chris Hegngi netting only his second goal of the season. It was good enough to give Ohio State a 2-1 victory, their 5th home win and 6th overall.
A week later it was arguably the Buckeyes's biggest game of the year, as #2 ranked Akron came into Columbus for what was to be their most difficult test yet.
Even though Akron had the majority of the possession and play, Ohio State could honestly say that the game produced some of their best attacking of the year. The Buckeyes created at least 5-6 strong saves from Zips goalie David Meves, each one seemingly better than the last.
Eventually the Ohio State defense came undone, and Akron ran away with the victory thanks to a solitary goal from Reinaldo Brenes.
Ohio State's final road game of the year was in State College, Pennsylvania, as they face the Penn State Nittany Lions.
In what can only be described as a topsy-turvy tussle, the two teams battled to a 4-4 draw. The hosts took the lead in only the ninth minute, but the Buckeyes came storming back to take a 2-1 lead with goals from Kenny Cunningham and Chris Hegngi. Penn State did equalize minutes later through Marvin Ledgister, and it was 2-2 going into the dressing rooms.
The second half looked to have been going the Nittany Lions way, as goals from Julian Cordona and Daniel Parr gave them what looked like an unassailable 4-2 lead with 10 minutes to go.
But Ohio State had other ideas. A Louie Berra strike in the 81st minute, and an own goal in the 88th gave them an unlikely reprieve, and the game somehow went into overtime.
Neither side could find a winner, and Ohio State came out with what must be considered a precious point. It was the Buckeyes first result of any kind in the Big Ten, a stat which highlights the difficulties they've experienced.
They have a chance to finally get a win in conference, in their last game of the season against Wisconsin. Though the Buckeyes sit last in the Big Ten standings, the Badgers are right above them with only one win. An Ohio State victory on Sunday could pull them equal with the team from Madison, with their conference records becoming identical, though Wisconsin would have one less loss the season overall.
In any case, this Buckeyes squad will go into the Big Ten tournament as one of its two lowest seeds, meaning the message is clear: the road to a conference championship will be an extremely tough one.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Buckeyes Can't Turn Butler Win Into Momentum
After their biggest victory of the season - a 4-1 demolition of the Butler Bulldogs - the Ohio State men's soccer team looked to finally start performing in the consistent fashion that they had lacked up to that point.
With three of their next four matchups coming against Big Ten opponents, the Buckeyes knew that this stretch of games could put them right back in conference contention. In the end, those three games did the exact opposite.
Three one-goal losses to Michigan, Michigan State and Northwestern respectively mean the Buckeyes are now sitting at 0-4 in conference play and are at the foot of the standings.
Their first game in Ann Arbor is probably the one that coach John Bluem knows his team should've had. Taking a 2-1 lead 15 minutes the second half, Ohio State then gave up a goal only to the Wolverines only 12 seconds later. The goal shocked the entire side and even though they made it into the second overtime period, they couldn't prevent a Michigan victory.
After that it was a home game against the Spartans, another winless team in the Big Ten. Even with their similar records, it was the the away who looked much more accomplished, restricting Ohio State to virtually no offensive pressure. Yianni Sarris's clinical strike late in the match looked to have potentially salvaged the situation for his team, but the result was never in doubt as Michigan State held on for the 2-1 win.
On the following Wednesday it was the Bowling Green State Falcons who rollied into Columbus, and Ohio State got a morale-boosting 2-0 victory. Dominating just about every aspect of the match, the Buckeyes looked solid in midfield and for once were clinical with their opportunities.
But their tough Big Ten campaign continued as they visited Northwestern, one of the top teams in the conference. Though coach Bluem was happy with his team's effort, they couldn't break down the Wildcat defense and therefore ensured that Ohio State still hadn't picked up a point on the road in four attempts.
With only four games left in the regular season the team know they are out of the conference championship picture. The positive they do have is that three of those games are at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, the site of the team's only victories.
Though the games against Akron at home and Penn State on the road will certainly be difficult ones, the Buckeyes are hoping that they could at least split the end of the season stretch, and finally start feeling a little better about their play heading into the postseason.
With three of their next four matchups coming against Big Ten opponents, the Buckeyes knew that this stretch of games could put them right back in conference contention. In the end, those three games did the exact opposite.
Three one-goal losses to Michigan, Michigan State and Northwestern respectively mean the Buckeyes are now sitting at 0-4 in conference play and are at the foot of the standings.
Their first game in Ann Arbor is probably the one that coach John Bluem knows his team should've had. Taking a 2-1 lead 15 minutes the second half, Ohio State then gave up a goal only to the Wolverines only 12 seconds later. The goal shocked the entire side and even though they made it into the second overtime period, they couldn't prevent a Michigan victory.
After that it was a home game against the Spartans, another winless team in the Big Ten. Even with their similar records, it was the the away who looked much more accomplished, restricting Ohio State to virtually no offensive pressure. Yianni Sarris's clinical strike late in the match looked to have potentially salvaged the situation for his team, but the result was never in doubt as Michigan State held on for the 2-1 win.
On the following Wednesday it was the Bowling Green State Falcons who rollied into Columbus, and Ohio State got a morale-boosting 2-0 victory. Dominating just about every aspect of the match, the Buckeyes looked solid in midfield and for once were clinical with their opportunities.
But their tough Big Ten campaign continued as they visited Northwestern, one of the top teams in the conference. Though coach Bluem was happy with his team's effort, they couldn't break down the Wildcat defense and therefore ensured that Ohio State still hadn't picked up a point on the road in four attempts.
With only four games left in the regular season the team know they are out of the conference championship picture. The positive they do have is that three of those games are at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, the site of the team's only victories.
Though the games against Akron at home and Penn State on the road will certainly be difficult ones, the Buckeyes are hoping that they could at least split the end of the season stretch, and finally start feeling a little better about their play heading into the postseason.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)