Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ohio State
Ohio State Trips Volleyball Team in Five Games
11/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 1, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern's volleyball team had every opportunity to remain in a tie for third place in the Big Ten Friday night. However, the Wildcats let a two games-to-one lead slip away, falling to Ohio State 30-23, 30-32, 30-25, 27-30, 8-15 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Despite a season-high 24 kills by Erika Lange (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg), the Wildcats were unable to finish off the Buckeyes, dropping their record to 13-10 overall and 6-5 in the Big Ten.
Stacey Gordon led four OSU players in double-figure kills with 19. Katie Virtue recorded 56 assists for the Buckeyes, who outhit NU .188-to-.112.
Northwestern controlled the opening game despite hitting just .077. The 'Cats led 20-18 when they used an 8-3 run to take a 28-21 advantage. NU was aided by seven OSU service errors in the game.
Ohio State led Game 2 29-27 when Sarah Ballog (Coto de Caza, Santa Margarita) recorded a kill and Kelli Meyer (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) and Lange recorded block assists, tying the game 29-29. The teams traded points before a Suzie Stiling kill and an NU hitting error evened the match at one game apiece. OSU earnd the victory despite seven kills by Lange in the set.
The Wildcats took the third game behind another seven kills by Lange. Northwestern dominated from the outset, jumping out to a 16-9 lead. The closest the Buckeyes would get was 28-25, but it was too little, too late.
NU fell into an early 14-9 deficit in the fourth game, before rallying to tie the match at 18-18. OSU answered with four straight points to take a 22-18 lead, but the Wildcats made another charge, closing to within 25-24. It was 26-25 when the Buckeyes scored three straight to take a 29-25 lead and eventually closed the frame out three points later.
The decisive game was all Ohio State, as it hit .308. Meanwhile Northwestern hit -.154 thanks to only three kills and five errors. The game was tied 6-6 when the visitors scored seven of the next eight points for a commanding 13-7 lead.
Northwestern will return to action at 7 p.m. tomorrow night when it hosts Indiana.
