Eric Boggs
The Ohio State women’s volleyball team (8-8, 1-5 B1G) battled Michigan (14-3, 4-2 B1G) in a thrilling four-set match on Sunday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center, ultimately falling to the Wolverines (24-26, 23-25, 25-20, 21-25). Despite a strong start and overwhelming support from a record-breaking crowd of 8,844 fans—the largest regular-season volleyball attendance in Ohio history—the Buckeyes couldn’t complete the comeback against their rivals in what was the first volleyball match ever played at the Schott.
Ohio State led the opening set from the first serve and held a commanding 22-15 lead before Michigan stormed back, winning six consecutive points to take the set 26-24. The second set was a back-and-forth thriller, with 14 ties and 11 lead changes, but the Wolverines edged out another close win, 25-23. The Buckeyes rallied in the third set, leading from start to finish and securing a 25-20 victory. However, the Wolverines took control in the fourth set with a late surge, ultimately winning 25-21 to close out the match.
Graduate opposite Emily Londot was a standout for Ohio State, making history by becoming just the second player in program history to surpass 2,000 career kills, 2,000 career points, and 1,000 career digs. Londot finished the match with 24 kills and a season-high 16 digs, marking her ninth double-double of the season and her fourth match with 20 or more kills. Olivia Hasbrook anchored the defense, recording 20 digs, while also tallying a career-high four aces and eight assists. Freshman Emmi Sellman contributed a career-high 14 kills, and setter Kamiah Gibson continued her impressive form with 36 assists and 11 digs, earning her second consecutive double-double.
The match was a landmark moment for Ohio State volleyball, not only for the historic setting at the Schottenstein Center but also for the incredible fan turnout, showing the growth of the sport in the state. Head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg praised the electric atmosphere, saying, “To be in front of a record crowd here at Ohio State for volleyball and be in this environment, it was pretty special and really cool.”
Up next, the Buckeyes face a tough challenge with back-to-back top-five opponents. They’ll take on No. 3 Penn State on Friday night, followed by a clash with No. 2 Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. Both matches will be televised, with Friday’s match airing on BTN and Saturday’s on NBC.
