Women’s Volleyball: Buckeyes fall to No. 15 Minnesota in four sets in season finale

Samuel Ing
Sat, 30 Nov 2024 11:00:28 +0000
Instagram Page, News, Sports, Volleyball, Abby Yoder, Ava Shankle, Brian Wright, Caitlin Insana, Cori Crocker, Ella Wrobel, Eloise Brandewie, Emily Londot, Emmi Sellman, Grace Egan, Jen Flynn Oldenburg, Kaia Castle, Kaitlyn Hoffman, Kamiah Gibson, Lauren Murphy, Meghan McCann, Mia Tuman, Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, Nicole Fawcett, Ohio State volleyball, Ohio State women's volleyball, Olivia Hasbrook, OSU volleyball, osu women's volleyball, Reese Wuebker, Rylee Rader, Sydney Taylor, Zaria Ragler

Sophomore setter Mia Tuman (9) reaches up to hit the ball in the Buckeyes’ (14-16, 7-13 B1G) regular season finale matchup against No. 15 Minnesota (20-10, 13-7 B1G) in Minneapolis Friday. The Buckeyes suffered a 1-3 loss to the Gophers. Credit: Ohio State Athletics

It was a disappointing end to the Buckeyes’ season.

Ohio State (14-16, 7-13 Big Ten) lost in four sets to No. 15 Minnesota (20-10, 13-7 Big Ten) Friday night at the Minnesota Maturi Pavilion.

Minnesota went on an early 5-0 run to take a 7-point lead, leading to a Buckeyes timeout while trailing 17-10.

Led by an ace from Londot and a kill from outside hitter Grace Egan, the Buckeyes rallied behind a 3-0 run to cut the Gophers lead to eight.

Minnesota then scored three of the final four points to win the first set 25-16.

The second set saw Minnesota go on yet another 5-0 run to take a 9-5 lead.

The Buckeyes rallied behind three straight points of their own to get within three, thanks to a kill and block from Rader and an ace from Tuman ace.

A 5-0 run helped the Buckeyes take a 3-point lead at 20-17, led by two kills from Londot.

The second set saw both teams matching one another, as both teams traded points until the set was deadlocked at 30.

Egan then earned a kill for set point at 31-30, followed by a shared block from Brandewie and Egan to win 32-30.

The Buckeyes found themselves down 10-1 early in the third set.

A 3-0 run for the Buckeyes, led by a kill from Brandewie and a kill following a Minnesota attack error from Sellman, brought the Buckeyes within five at 15-10. But the Golden Gophers scored three straight of their own to extend their lead to 18-10.

Egan got a kill after Minnesota reached set point in hopes of finding momentum, but a kill from Golden Gophers’ outside hitter Mckenna Wucherer closed the set 25-14.

The Buckeyes found themselves in another pit to dig themselves out of in the fourth set, as Minnesota scored the first six points.

Londot got a kill, and two aces helped the Buckeyes go on a 3-0 run and cut Minnesota’s lead to five at 12-7.

The Buckeyes called a timeout following a 6-1 Golden Gophers run to take an 18-8 lead. Libero Olivia Hasbrook got an ace after the timeout, but the efforts fell short. Minnesota scored the set’s final three points to win 25-15.

The Buckeyes finished the 2024 season with a 14-16 overall record and 7-13 in the Big Ten.