Head coach Geoff Carlston watches the Ohio State women’s volleyball team huddle up during a game against No. 9 Nebraska. Ohio State lost in four sets. Credit: Miranda Lipton | Lantern Reporter
In a match consisting of long rallies and free-balls, the Ohio State women’s volleyball team fell to No. 9 Nebraska in four sets (15-25, 25-23, 12-25, 9-25).
Nebraska has won the past three matches in Columbus, including tonight’s victory.
“A lot of times you do everything right and you don’t get the point, and that’s volleyball,” head coach Geoff Carlston said. “If the effort is there, which I thought it was a lot tonight, that’s a lot different than execution.”
Ohio State (12-11, 3-8 Big Ten) called a timeout early in the first set with Nebraska (16-5, 8-4 Big Ten) up 9-4, and later at 20-13 Nebraska. The Cornhuskers took the first set 25-15.
“When you make mistakes, you need to wipe it off and get to the next point but it’s hard,” freshman outside hitter Vanja Bukilić said. “I’m struggling with that and a lot of times I feel myself going deeper and deeper into the hole.”
Ohio State led the second set 13-12 and kept a tight lead throughout until Nebraska tied the score at 19. With a couple successful free shots from behind the service line, the Buckeyes came out on top at 25-23.
Nebraska senior co-captain and outside hitter Mikaela Foecke has been named Big Ten Player of the Week this season and leads the Cornhuskers with 3.65 kills per set. She had 12 kills tonight, behind sophomore middle blocker Lauren Stivrins who led the team with 16.
Nebraska freshman middle blocker Callie Schwarzenbach had five blocks against the Buckeyes. She ranks No. 9 in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 1.51 blocks per set.
Nebraska took an early lead in the third set and maintained it throughout before taking a 25-12 win. They cruised through the fourth set, leading throughout the whole set to a 25-9 decision.
Carlston said the Buckeyes lost multiple points to dropped balls.
“This team is working on being more vocal. This is one of the more quiet teams that I’ve coached, but it’s a process,” Carlston said. “Two or three points were lost because of balls dropped and I can tell you why – you have three freshman playing different positions.”
He also said the injured starters led to an inconsistency in the starting lineup and a need to improvise.
“Camryn Moeller was playing outside for us because Jordan wasn’t able to play. I think Camryn came in and played with a lot of courage and tenacity and we needed that,” Carlston said.
The Buckeyes will get back on the road to head to Evanston, Illinois to face Northwestern at 2 p.m on Sunday.
