Eric Boggs
The Ohio State men’s volleyball team clinched their 10th back-to-back conference tournament championship by winning the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association title on Saturday night, defeating Lindenwood 3-1. The Buckeyes, seeded third, initially fell behind as the Lions, seeded fourth, took the first game with a score of 20-25. However, Ohio State rallied, winning the next three games with a combined score of 75-51.
Redshirt senior Michael Wright secured the Tournament MVP title for the second consecutive year, notching a match-high 45 assists. Senior Jacob Pasteur and sophomore Shane Wetzel also stood out, earning All-MIVA Tournament Team honors. Pasteur recorded 18 kills while Wetzel contributed 13 in the final for OSU. Pasteur’s ace during the match brought his career total to 160, placing him second in program history.
“The (MIVA) finals match encapsulates what we did so well the last eight matches. We played with a lot of toughness. There are a lot of situations in this sport where it is real easy to roll over and play on your heels. Our guys did the exact opposite of that. To lose 25-20 to a good team like Lindenwood and then come out firing and punching right back that is one of the hardest things to do on our sport. To see us do it on one of the biggest stages this season gives me a lot of confidence and encouragement going into the NCAA Tournament.”
Head Coach Kevin Birch
Ohio State’s victory marked their ninth consecutive win in the MIVA Tournament, resulting in a total of 19 conference tournament titles. With a season record of 22-8, the Buckeyes are set to make their 23rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes, who are the sixth seed will play third seeded Grand Canyon (25-4) in the the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, which begins on April 30 and will be held at the Walter Pyramid with Long Beach State University serving as the host institution.
