Ohio breaks Akron’s unbeaten streak

by Laurie Duffy
Staff Writer

The Ohio volleyball team has a way of knocking good teams off their Mid-American Conference pedestals.

First, they took down MAC West Division favorite Eastern Michigan on Oct. 5, and then Saturday, the Bobcats dealt Akron (18-4, 9-1) its first conference loss of the season. Ohio also helped its future MAC tournament seeding by burying Kent State (12-10 overall, 5-5 MAC) in three games Friday in The Convo.

Thanks to a new lineup, Ohio (17-7, 7-3) overcame a late rally by Akron to win in five games.

“From a conference perspective, it’s a big win for us,” Ohio coach Mike Lessinger said. “I like the idea when teams come into our place undefeated, and we put a dent in them a little.”

The new front row, consisting of middle blocker Laura Hageman and outside hitters Julia Winkfield and Katie Allen, made its debut Friday. The trio combined for 17 of the team’s 28 assisted blocks for the weekend.

Ohio drilled Kent State 30-12, 33-31, 30-18 and held the Golden Flashes to a .066 hitting percentage. Ohio outside hitter Lindsay Judice posted a career-high four assisted blocks to go along with Hageman’s seven blocks to hamper the Kent State attack.

The effective blocking gave the Bobcats a chance to speed up the offense and create a stronger back row presence, Hageman said. That momentum carried into Saturday’s match with Akron.

Hageman led the team with a career-high 31 digs and chipped in 18 kills en route to a .415 hitting percentage against the Zips.

“We’ve got better passing with Erin (Fiene), Katie (Smith) and me passing every time,” Hageman said. “We’re the primary passers and if our passing is there, then our hitting will be there too.”

Smith, who led the team in kills against Akron with 24, said the scouting report was a big reason Ohio was able to knock off the Zips.

“They have a short setter, so we decided to go after her down the line and we were hot doing it tonight,” Smith said. “We knew who their go-to players were, which definitely was a key for us.”

Ohio held Akron, who was ranked No. 34 nationally in the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, to a .178 hitting percentage and kept outside hitter Sandy Lewis to a .040 hitting percentage.

“We definitely went with a game plan and when we executed, I felt that tonight we were the better team,” Lessinger said.

Both teams will have a chance to avenge the losses to the Bobcats at home when Ohio travels to Akron on Nov. 15 and Kent State on Nov. 23. Ohio looks to continue its winning streak when it takes the floor against rival Miami at 7 p.m. Friday in Oxford.