MATCH STATS
- Missouri State tops #12 Ohio State (21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 22-25, 15-12)
Just two weeks after defeating No. 14 Illinois, the currently-unranked Missouri State Bears volleyball team delivered yet another show-stopping upset, defeating No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes (21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 22-25, 15-12).
During the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational in Missouri, the Bears set a new record for their program history- Missouri State has never before beaten two teams ranked within the Top 15 of the AVCA Coaches Poll in the same season.
The Missouri State players broke personal records as well as program records. Lynsey Wright, the Bears’ junior middle blocker, earned her new season-high of 20 kills and a career-high six blocks.
The Buckeyes and Bears played intense games, splitting the first four sets. Ohio State claimed a big lead early in the first set with an 8-2 advantage. Ohio State was able to claim the first set with an offensive trio of kills from Taylor Sandbothe.
Despite losing the fourth set, the Bears offense got fired up and kept the momentum going to take a 5-1 lead that the Buckeyes couldn’t recover from.
Ohio State suffered 35 attack errors in the five-set matchup, while the Bears’ defense finished with 89 digs and 11 blocks.
PRESS RELEASES
Courtesy of MSU Athletic Communications
SPRINGFIELD — The Missouri State volleyball team picked up its second top-15 win of the season Friday night, topping visiting No. 12 Ohio State 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 22-25, 15-12) in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at Hammons Student Center.
The Bears added another huge victory to their resume two weeks after winning at 14th-ranked Illinois, with the Buckeyes serving as the highest-ranked team MSU has defeated since a win at No. 9 Wichita State in 2008. The win also marks the first time in program history that the Bears have defeated two teams ranked inside the top 15 of the AVCA Coaches Poll in the same season.
MSU’s star players shone bright throughout the match, led by junior Lynsey Wright with a season-high 20 kills on .289 hitting to go with a career-high six blocks. Lily Johnson added 15 kills and 18 digs, and Simone House hit .297 with 13 kills and five blocks.
After nearly overcoming a six-point deficit in the fourth set, the Bears jumped ahead 5-1 in the fifth on the strength of a Johnson ace that forced an OSU timeout. The Buckeyes battled back for a 9-8 lead before Gerri Idos fired an ace during a 3-0 run that helped the Bears go up 11-9. Johnson followed with consecutive kills for 13-10, House and Aubrey Cheffey teamed for a block and a 14-11 lead, and House landed a kill for the win.
The teams split the first four sets, and were within one point of each other after the 20-point mark each time. The Buckeyes closed the first period on a 3-0 run after leading 22-21, and MSU’s Cambree Villarreal scored a kill for a two-point in the second frame to even the match.
Wright and Johnson hit back-to-back kills to turn a 21-20 lead into 23-20 in the third set, and OSU ended the fourth period on a 4-1 run after the score was tied at 21-all.
Missouri State out-hit the Buckeyes .192-.153, overcoming a 66-59 deficit in kills with a scrambling defense that produced 89 digs and 11 blocks while forcing 35 OSU attack errors.
Emily Butters led five Bears in double figures with 23 digs, Brianne Dixon andTatum Marshall had 14 apiece, and Daniele Messa added 48 assists and 11 digs.
Up Next: MSU hosts two matches Saturday, taking on Western Illinois and IUPUI
Bear Stats
Lynsey Wright (20 kills, 6 blocks)
Lily Johnson (15 kills, 3 aces, 18 digs)
Simone House (13 kills)
Emily Butters (4 assists, 23 digs)
How to Follow
Follow the Missouri State Bears on Facebook, on Twitter @MissouriStBears and Instagram @missouristbears
Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — One up, one down for the 12th-ranked Ohio State women’s volleyball team on Friday (Sept. 9), crushing IUPUI (3-6) in the opener before dropping a five-set decision to host Missouri State (5-3) in the nightcap. Ohio State concludes the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational by squaring off against Green Bay (6-1) on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
Match number one was a lopsided, 64-minute affair versus IUPUI as Ohio State outscored the Jaguars by nearly 14 points per set. The Buckeyes also built massive statistical advantages in kills (56 to 14), hitting percentage (.361 to .011), Digs (65 to 32) and service aces (4 to 0). Sophomore teammates Audra Appold and Taylor Hughes each recorded double-doubles with 18 digs and 13 kills for Appold and Hughes’ 41 assists and 10 digs.
Taylor Sandbothe and Madison Smeathers were a formidable force in the middle, combining for 24 kills at a .600 attacking rate. Sandbothe put forth a team-high 17.5 points while Smeathers finished off seven kills on nine attempts in her second career start. Valeria León added 16 more digs to her career total of 1,358 — ranking third in school history.
Ohio State never trailed by more than a point all afternoon and no later than 3-2 in any second set. The Buckeyes came out guns blazing, blowing past the Jaguars 25-9 in the opening period. All-square at 6-6 in set number two, Ohio State erected a 16-2 run fueled by long service stints from both Appold and León to build an insurmountable 22-7 upper hand. The Buckeyes would go to close out the set, 25-13.
Sandbothe and Smeathers ripped a dozen kills in the closing set as Ohio State buried the Jaguars with 21 team kills. Two streaks of five or more consecutive points for the Buckeyes secured victory, rolling to a 25-12 final ledger.
Just two points separated OSU and Missouri State in the evening tilt (108-106 in total points; 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 22-25, 15-12). The Buckeyes took Sets 1 & 4 while the Bears seized the other three frames, picking up the program’s second victory over a nationally-ranked Big Ten foe this season (MSU also defeated No. 14 Illinois).
Ohio State jumped out to an 8-2 edge in the first set before a quick flurry from the Bears tighten things up again. Clinging to a one-point lead later in the set, Sandbothe came alive for three consecutive kills and sealed the deal 25-21.
The next two sets played out in similar fashion, both tightly-contested scuffles ultimately closed out by late Missouri State spurts.
Set number four saw the most efficient offense of the night on both sides of the net. Ohio State attacked .275 to go along with four service aces, producing just enough offense to get by the Bears 25-22 and force a decisive fifth set. A four-block effort from the Scarlet & Gray was pivotal in Ohio State remaining alive as well.
Missouri State’s three-point cushion at 4-1 to start the fifth set proved to also be the final margin, 15-12 in favor of the Bears.
With her final block of the day, Sandbothe moved into a tie for the third-most total blocks in Ohio State history. Her 455 career rejections are tied with Suzie Stilling (1999-2002).
What’s Next: Ohio State will face Green Bay Saturday evening
Buckeye Stats
Audra Appold (19 kills, 14 digs)
Taylor Sandboth (15 kills, 2 aces, 7 blocks)
Taylor Hughes (10 kills, 2 aces, 47 assists)
Luisa Schirmer (1 ace, 23 digs)
Valeria Leon (26 digs)
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