Women’s Volleyball: No. 8 Ohio State ends regular season on four-game losing skid

The No. 8 Ohio State ladies’s volleyball workforce fell in 4 units every to No. 9 Minnesota and No. 3 Wisconsin this weekend.

Senior exterior hitter Gabby Gonzales and 6 different seniors had been honored following each of their closing two regular-season matches. 

“I’m simply grateful,” Gonzales mentioned. “It’s straightforward to rejoice once you’re surrounded by so many good folks. It’s not concerning the win or the loss on the finish of the day.” 

The Buckeyes (19-9, 15-5 Huge Ten) misplaced their third and fourth consecutive matchups in opposition to Minnesota Friday and Huge Ten champion Wisconsin Saturday on the Covelli Middle. 

Minnesota

Ohio State’s Huge Ten title hopes ended after its closing match in opposition to the Golden Gophers (19-8, 14-5 Huge Ten) Friday on the Covelli Middle behind redshirt-sophomore exterior hitter Taylor Landfair’s 25 kills in a decent 3-1 thriller.  

The Buckeyes took the primary level of its two senior nights on a kill from junior exterior hitter Emily Londot however fell behind 4-1 after a brief Golden Gopher run. Ohio State tied the set at seven after which eight, earlier than taking a 9-8 lead and after holding off Minnesota to win 25-20.

“Landfair was fairly nice tonight,” head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg mentioned. “She responded from final time, and our protection wasn’t as nice because it usually is.”

They began the second set tied at one, two and three factors earlier than Ohio State took a 10-8 lead. A six-point Golden Gopher run flipped the lead 14-10, and Minnesota pulled forward and prevailed 25-21.

The Gophers kill share was .514, amassing 19 kills within the second and totaling 64 within the match. Golden Gophers freshman center blocker Carter Sales space had 5 of her 13 kills within the second set. 

“I really feel like that they had some blocks in key moments,” Oldenburg mentioned. “We had some errors and never so nice moments, however it comes again to our motion, voices and confidence.”

Each squads used timeouts to squash early runs, however the Buckeyes referred to as their second after three- and four-point runs gave Minnesota a 16-14 lead within the third set. 

Ohio State got here out of the timeout with a three-point run to take the lead 17-16, and a five-point Gopher run flipped the lead as soon as extra as Minnesota held on 25-21, taking a 2-1 set lead. 

Ohio State hit .233 and .227 within the second and third units, amassing 15 kills in every. Junior center blocker Rylee Rader added six of her 13 kills within the body, however Lainfair’s 25 kills led all gamers. 

“We’ve got so many weapons on our facet, two nice middles, two nice pins, nice proper facet, nice setter, nice libero,” Gonzales mentioned. 

The Buckeyes scored first to open up a decent fourth set, as Minnesota took its first timeout after seven ties and two lead adjustments at 14-12.

Ohio State took maintain of the lead 19-18, however a Golden Gopher problem was dominated of their favor to tie the match at 19. The Buckeyes then tied the rating at 20, 21, 22 and 23, earlier than Minnesota’s closing run ended the comeback hopes 26-24.

Ohio State hit .239 as a workforce, amassing 65 kills, another than the Golden Gophers. 

“We’re making an attempt to get higher in any respect points of the sport, and it’s necessary to notice that groups get higher at this level within the season,” Gonzales mentioned. 

Wisconsin

The Buckeyes dropped their fourth-straight match in opposition to the Badgers (25-3, 19-1 Huge Ten) Saturday on the Covelli Middle 3-1. 

The opening set of the regular-season finale proved shut because the groups tied 12 occasions and swapped the lead 5 occasions. Wisconsin took the lead midway by way of a four-point run at 19-16, and the Buckeyes did their greatest to rally however dropped the set 25-22. 

The Badgers protection held sturdy, permitting a .122 hitting share from Ohio State and forcing 11 errors from an offense averaging .253 on the 12 months. Londot had 5 kills within the set, main all gamers.

“After we play individually we don’t do nearly as good of a job, however as soon as we determine the right way to play collectively and that’s a change that has to come back from inside the workforce,” Podraza mentioned.

The Badgers jumped forward 5-0, inflicting Ohio State to name its first timeout of the second set. The Buckeyes scored out of the timeout however couldn’t climb out of the deficit, falling behind by a set-high eight factors and dropping the set 25-18.

Wisconsin redshirt sophomore exterior hitter Sarah Franklin had three kills within the set and 12 for the match. 

“I reminded the workforce that we have to cease placing a lot stress on ourselves, play one level at a time, be tremendous current,” senior defensive specialist Kylie Murr mentioned

Ohio State denied a sweep, tying the set a 3 and taking the lead 5-4 throughout the first of two four-point runs. The Buckeyes wouldn’t give up the lead, happening a five-point run and lengthening the result in eight earlier than holding on to win 25-19. 

Wisconsin grabbed a 2-0 lead within the fourth set, however the Buckeyes tied all of it at two after which three earlier than the Badgers scored six-consecutive factors. Ohio State introduced the rating to 17-16 on a Londot kill, however three factors from the Badgers ended the set 27-25 and the match 3-1.

Ohio State held the Badgers underneath .200 within the set. The Buckeyes stayed of their system extra typically within the set due to the way in which they obtained, committing one error whereas getting 24 digs.

“It wasn’t the result that we appreciated, however that was Buckeye volleyball,” Gonzales mentioned. 

Up subsequent

Oldenburg mentioned senior nights are at all times arduous, and shedding this group of seniors was particularly tough. Regardless, she mentioned the workforce is prepared for the NCAA Match.

“That speak was occurring within the locker room after the match,” Oldenburg mentioned. “We’re prepared to maneuver ahead and we get a recent begin with new opponents. We’ve got to beat all of them.” 

The No. 3-seed Buckeyes will host Tennessee State within the first spherical of the NCAA Match on the Covelli Middle Friday at 7:30 p.m.