Nov. 10, 2007

Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio - The No. 15 Ohio volleyball team won its 13th-straight match Saturday evening, cruising past Central Michigan, 30-16, 30-20, 30-21, on senior night at the Convocation Center. Ohio (23-4, 15-1), which clinched its fifth-consecutive Mid-American Conference regular season championship earlier this week, out-hit Central Michigan (21-9, 10-6) .383 to .162 on its way to snapping the Chippewas' eight-match winning streak.

Playing in the final home conference match of their careers, seniors Melissa Griffin (Whitehall, Mich.), Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Janice Matacic (Liberty Township, Ohio) delivered. Griffin posted a match-high 14 kills on a .379 hitting percentage, Blackburn collected nine kills and hit .500 to go with a match-high 16 digs and Matacic totaled 13 digs in the victory.

Ohio, which led the entire match, got out to a 19-8 lead in the opening game and never looked back en route to the 30-16 win. Griffin landed seven kills in the game on 13 swings with one error for a .462 hitting percentage.

Ohio continued to flex its muscle in the second game, jumping out to a 15-3 lead. The Chippewas cut the deficit to nine points at 24-15, but they would get no closer as the Bobcats went on to win 30-20. Sophomore outside hitter Ellen Herman (Toledo, Ohio) led Ohio with five kills on six swings (.833) for the game. For the match, Herman totaled 11 kills on a .455 hitting percentage.

Central Michigan stayed close to begin the third game, trailing by only one point at 6-5. Ohio then ran off three straight points and eight of the next 10 to take control of the game. The Bobcats went on to win 30-21. Griffin totaled six kills (.455) and Blackburn added five kills (.571) and five digs in the game. Central hit .278 for the game, but Ohio once again was more efficient, hitting .378.

Ohio sophomore middle blocker Jane Sytsma (Madison, Wis.) chipped in on the attack with eight kills (.538) and a match-high four blocks, and sophomore middle blocker Meghan Simons (Lancaster, Ohio) had eight kills (.368).

Freshman setter Michelle Jantsch (Mission Hills, Kansas) posted a team-high 33 assists and seven digs in the victory.

The Bobcats now head to Toledo, Ohio, looking to become the first team in the history of the MAC to win five-straight tournament titles. The top-seeded Bobcats begin the tournament Friday, Nov. 16 at the SeaGate Centre.

----------------------------
Wes Liles is the volleyball contact in the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at liles@ohio.edu.