Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Ohio
Volleyball Falls to MAC East Leading Bobcats, 3-1
10/31/2009 4:59:37 PM | Volleyball
Senior Victoria Randolph leads the way with 14 kills.
Box score.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Despite an opening set win, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped a Mid-American Conference cross divisional tilt to Ohio University Saturday afternoon, Oct. 31, at the Convocation Center, as the Eagles fell, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 19-25, 12-25) to the MAC East leading Bobcats.
The loss drops EMU to 4-24 (3-9 MAC), while Ohio improves to 19-5 (11-1 MAC) with the win.
Senior Victoria Randolph (Cincinnati, Ohio-Mount Notre Dame) had a solid afternoon for the Eagles, as she led EMU with 14 kills and a .353 kill percentage.
The Eagles and Bobcats traded point for point in the opening set, but the Eagles pulled away to make it to 20 first, as a solo kill by sophomore Ashley Mason (Eastlake, Ohio-Lake Catholic) gave the Eagles a 20-15 advantage. The Eagles managed to hold off the MAC leading Bobcats and rally for five more points, as a solo kill off a free ball by junior Jennifer Swartz (Canton, Mich.-Westland John Glenn) propelled EMU to a 25-22 win. Mason finished the match with 32 assists and five kills, while Swartz finished with eight kills and a .200 kill percentage.
The Bobcats pulled together in game two, as a block up front by Meghan Simons and Michelle Jantsch gave Ohio a 12-7 advantage, forcing EMU head coach Kim Berrington to take a timeout. The Bobcats managed to reach the 20 point mark first, as a kill on line back line by Katie Post gave Ohio a 20-14 advantage. Despite a late EMU rally, the Bobcats rallied for five more points to take set two, 25-18, and knot the game at 1-1 at intermission.
EMU and Ohio again traded point for point in the third set of the afternoon, as the two teams went to a 10-all tie until back to back EMU kills and a Ohio error after a point gave the Eagles a 13-11 lead. But Ohio would answer, as the Bobcats went on a 9-3 scoring run to reach the 20 point mark first, taking a 20-16 advantage. The Eagles rallied late to make it 23-19, but the Bobcats proved to be too much, as a powerful strike to the back corner by Ellen Herman sealed the third set win for Ohio, 25-19. Herman finished with a game-best 26 kills and a .471 kill percentage.
The Bobcats came out firing in the fourth set, reeling off four consecutive points, including back to back aces by Post, to take a 4-0 lead and force an EMU timeout. Ohio never looked back, taking an 12 point lead after a solo block up front by Sue Jacobi gave her team a 16-4 lead. The Bobcats went on to take the fourth set and win the match, 25-12.
The Eagles are back on the road next week when they head to Ball State University Friday, Nov. 6 and the University of Toledo Saturday, Nov. 7. Both matches are slated for 7 p.m.
