Kansas State University
Ohio State
Dec 04, 2016 | Volleyball
GAME RECAP
3
2
NR
OHIO STATE
BUCKEYES
22-12 (10-10 Big Ten)
RV
K-STATE
WILDCATS
21-10 (9-7 Big 12)
LEADERS:
Luisa Schirmer: 21 kills, 10 digs, 5 blocks
Taylor Sandbothe: 15 kills, 8 blocks
Valeria Leon: 24 digs
LEADERS:
Bryna Vogel: 12 kills, 9 digs, 11 blocks
Katie Brand: 43 assists, 15 digs, 4 kills
Brooke Sassin: 11 kills, 10 digs
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Ohio State | 25 | 25 | 22 | 23 | 17 |
| K-State | 20 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 15 |
- ? GAMECENTER
- ? HIGHLIGHTS
- ? BOX SCORE
- ? POSTGAME QUOTES
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State volleyball team climbed out of an 0-2 hole to force a decisive fifth set against Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday night, but he Buckeyes escaped with a five-set win, 25-20, 25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 17-15, in front of 2,645 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (21-10) fought off two match points by Ohio State (22-12) in the final set of a defensive battle to tie the score at 15 before OSU scored the final two points of the match. K-State ends its season with its third consecutive NCAA appearance and first tournament win since 2011. Ohio State moves on to the Sweet 16 of the postseason tournament.
"It hurts because it is good" said head coach Suzie Fritz after the match. "It's hard to explain. It hurts when it is over because it is really, really good. This team and these seniors, in particular, brought so much to us – to me, personally, to my life – and they have enriched us in so many ways. They are extraordinary, and it is hard to know that we will not get to see them every day, maybe more important than anything.
"I thought that we did not play as well as we would have liked to have played, especially early," Fritz added. "After the break, we talked about just trying to empty the tank, let's empty the tank coming out for set three, and we did that. I think we came back in three, four, five and gave it everything we had."
After dropping the opening two sets, the Wildcats stormed back in the third and fourth sets behind a season-high 17.5 team blocks. Junior Bryna Vogel posted a career-best 11 blocks, eight of which came in the third and fourth sets. Vogel finished one dig shy of her first career triple-double as the right-side hitter tallied a team-best 12 kills.
"We dialed a little bit. We got different matchups," said Fritz of her team's adjustments. "That was probably the biggest thing that we did. Dialed, meaning we started in a different rotation so we had different people in front so serve-pass matchups were a little different and pass-block matchups were a little bit different. And, we got a little better look."
K-State fell into an early hole as the Buckeyes scored 10 of the match's first 12 points and led by as many as 10 midway through the set. The Wildcats manufactured some momentum behind five team blocks, and rattled off six straight points to cut their deficit to just four before OSU closed out the set. K-State committed as many attacking errors (9) as it had kills for a .000 efficiency. Cats middle blocker Katie Reininger collected three of her 10 blocks in the set.
The second set played out much like the first, with Ohio State jumping out to a quick 6-3 lead and maintaining its cushion throughout the set. K-State threatened again near the end of the set as it fought off four set points before OSU closed out the game, 25-22. OSU hit .357 (16k-6e-28ta) compared to the Wildcats' .133 (11k-7e-30ta).
K-State's defense showed up in a key third-set win. The Cats stayed alive in the match with a 25-22 third-set win, closed out with four consecutive stuff blocks – three of which Vogel had a hand in. K-State was able to start the set strong, opening up an 11-5 lead before the Buckeyes rebounded to take a 14-13 lead following a 6-1 spurt. Out of a timeout, the Wildcats closed the set on a 10-4 run, including the last four points.
The fourth set saw 13 tie scores and nine lead changes. K-State scored seven of eight during a stretch to capture a 14-9 edge before the Buckeyes responded and took a 22-21 lead. Back-to-back blocks by Reininger and Vogel aided the Cats to a 25-23 fourth-set win.
Both sides finished under a .200 hitting percentage while Ohio State posted 73 kills compared to K-State's 53. OSU out-dug K-State, 81-55, and handed out 71 assists to the Cats' 49.
Outside hitters Brooke Sassin and Kylee Zumach each recorded 11 kills. Sassin added 10 digs for her 25th career double-double.
Senior setter Katie Brand picked up her team-leading 17th double-double of the season as she dished out 43 assists and picked up 15 digs.
"That was a team that I have not felt like I have been a part of before – a team that has matured," said Reininger. "The senior class has matured so much on the court.
"The fans were amazing," Reininger added. "They were a big part of the turnaround for us. Like what Suzie [Fritz] said, we emptied the tank and went for it. It was the best game I think I could have ended on."
"It has not always been easy, but I have loved every moment of it," said senior Kersten Kober. "These people, my teammates, the community, everyone on the staff, they mean the world to me and I could not have asked for a better college experience, at all."
NOTES
· K-State is now 15-17 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 10-12 under head coach Suzie Fritz.
· K-State is 6-4 at home in the postseason and is now 1-1 in the postseason at Bramlage Coliseum.
· K-State is 14-3 all-time in Bramlage.
· K-State finishes the season 0-3 against the Big Ten and is now 2-4 all-time against the conference in the postseason.
· This was the first meeting between K-State and Ohio State since 1996 and the Buckeyes now own a 5-1 advantage in the series.
