Andy Gottesman/The LanternOhio State sophomore Katie Dull prepares to strikes the ball during the Oct. 26 match against Iowa. Dull led OSU with 16 points in a losing effort against Michigan State on Saturday.
The Ohio State women’s volleyball team lost its match 3-1 to Michigan State Saturday night in St. John Arena.
Katie Dull led OSU (11-17 overall, 2-12 Big Ten) with a team-high 16 points in the match. Kelli Barhorst added a career-high 15.5 points. Dull and Barhorst each posted a match-high 13 kills.
OSU played well in each of the sets, but MSU (14-13, 6-10) consistently found ways to win the game.
“Our team didn’t quit,” said head coach Geoff Carlston. “We didn’t make too many mental errors, but we just lost a little bit of focus and lost our hitters at the end of the game.”
In set one, OSU held the lead at 14-10, before MSU scored four-straight points to tie the set at 14-14. OSU battled back to hold the lead at 20-18. MSU then rallied to score seven straight points to win the set 25-20. OSU would record four service errors in the set.
In set two there were eight lead changes. With the set tied at 22-22, OSU scored two straight points to force set point at 24-22. OSU would win the set 25-23 on a Barhorst kill.
Set three was close the entire set. OSU built a four-point lead at 16-12, but MSU found a way to fight back and reach set point at 24-21. OSU then scored two straight points, but MSU still won the set 25-23.
In set four OSU kept it close again, only trailing 8-9. But MSU quickly scored five straight points to go up 14-8. Just as quickly, OSU responded with four straight points to tie the set 17-17. MSU would score three of the last four points to win the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.
OSU had many chances to win sets three and four, but were unable to make plays.
“I thought we played pretty consistent tonight, but we didn’t make plays at the end of two games, and they did,” Carlston said.
The trouble, Carlston said, came when the Buckeyes let their opponent score big runs with no response.
“We can’t let other teams get those three of four point runs at crucial times,” Carlston said. “It just takes one good play to stop those runs.”
OSU was out-hit in the match .270 to .240.
The Buckeyes will continue play on the road this weekend, traveling to Iowa Friday night and to Minnesota Sunday afternoon.
Matt Lang can be reached at [email protected].
