Aug. 24, 2012

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DAYTON, Ohio - The Ohio Bobcats dropped their 2012 season opener this afternoon, falling in straight sets, 16-25, 18-25, 14-25, to No. 11 Pepperdine in the first game of the Flyer Classic. Kelly Lamberti finished two digs shy of a double-double after leading the 'Cats with 11 kills.

Playing in her first collegiate match, Abby Gilleland led Ohio with 16 assists with senior Leah Petrovich also notching 10. Freshman Meredith Ashy paced the Green & White with nine digs and Lexie Hartnett had three blocks. Overall, Ohio struggled offensively, hitting just .073 while Pepperdine hit .307. The Waves received 13 kills from Katie Messing and a dobuble-double (28 assists, 10 digs) from Kellie Woolever.

In the first set, Ohio jumped out to a 4-1 lead before the Waves went on a six-point run to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Bobcat deficit grew to six at 14-8 and would stay that way until consecutive kills from Serena Warner and Faith Robins forced a Pepperdine timeout at 20-16. Out of the huddle, PU scored the final five points of the set to win 25-16.

Robins, Lamberti and Chelsea Bilger each notched three kills in the set and Ohio out-blocked the Waves. However, Pepperdine hit .312 while Ohio hit .150 and accrued four service errors.

The second set saw both teams exchange points until a three-point run went Pepperdine’s way for an 11-8 lead. Ohio bounced back with kills from Robins and Lamberti before an attack error knotted things at 11. Another three-point run put the ‘Cats in a 14-11 hole and two close calls didn’t help matters as they found themselves behind 18-14.

Now trailing 19-15, Pepperdine scored five in a row for a nine-point edge. Facing set point, Ohio responded with three points and forced a Wave timeout at 24-18. Despite their best efforts, the Bobcats dropped the set on the next point.  Lamberti had four kills on 11 swings with no errors in the second set as Robins and Bilger had three kills once more.

Pepperdine jumped all over the 'Cats in the third set taking leads of 6-1 and 13-3. Ohio was behind 20-5 before scoring three points in a row (two kills by Hartnett and a combined block by Petrovich and Warner). Two kills by Lamberti followed and cut the deficit to 22-12, but the Waves eventually won the set 25-14, recording 6.5 blocks in the process.  

Ohio returns to the court tomorrow afternoon for day two of the Flyer Classic in Dayton. The Bobcats will take on one of last year's NCAA Championship finalists in No. 7 Illinois at 5 p.m.