The Ohio State women’s volleyball team swept a pair of Big Ten rivals, Purdue and Indiana, this weekend.
In the first set against the Boilermakers, it was unclear which team had the stronger game.
After just two errors, the Buckeyes established their rhythm. Playing an aggressive defense, the Buckeyes forced Purdue to commit six errors.
The Buckeyes took the first set, 25-19, with an ace serve from Chelsea Noble and a kill from Kristen Dozier.
The Buckeyes fell, 25-23, in the second set but quickly rebounded in a nail-biting third set.
With 17 ties and nine lead changes, the Buckeyes came out victorious after a Dozier kill for a 25-24 lead and a kill from Katie Dull to end the set, 26-24.
The Buckeyes took the fourth set with an early lead, finishing 25-18 to win the match 3-1.
Dull had a co-match high of 17.5 points.
Carrying the momentum into Saturday night, the Buckeyes faced the Hoosiers.
The Buckeyes came out strong, taking the first two sets, 25-19 and 25-22.
The Buckeyes fell, 25-23, in the third set after seven consecutive Hoosier points. Kills from both Dull and Ashley Hughes brought the set to 20-16. A Hoosier time out gave them the chance to regroup and take the set.
The Buckeyes fired back in the fourth with a Noble ace serve. A final kill from Emily Danks won the set, 25-23, and secured the match, 3-1.
The separation between these three teams has certainly been set. The Buckeyes are now 5-5 in Big Ten play.
If the Buckeyes can maintain this momentum, they have the opportunity to knock off No. 1 Penn State on the road. The match will be televised 7 p.m. Wednesday on the Big Ten Network.
