Coming off a two-game sweep at home against Northern Illinois (2-24, 1-15 MAC) last weekend, the UB women’s volleyball team (14-15, 10-6 MAC) traveled to Athens this past Friday for their last on-the-road Mid-American Conference (MAC) games to face the Ohio Bobcats (14-13, 10-6 MAC) in a doubleheader. The Bulls were unable to come out with a win, losing both games by scores of 3-1 and 3-0.
Following their 2-0 win over Northern Illinois and her 17th career error-free match, sixth-year middle blocker Abby Leigh was named MAC offensive player of the week. That weekend, Leigh recorded her ten kills, reaching a 1,000 career kill milestone. That Saturday, she kept up her outstanding offensive performance and finished offensively at the top of the match with 18 kills. She joins fifth-year outside hitter Katrin Trebichavska and her sister senior setter Mandy Leigh as the third Bull to earn MAC player of the week honors this season.
The first match of the two took place on Friday night. In the opening set, the Bobcats established an early lead that they would sustain for the rest of the match, coming away with the 25-10 win. Determined, the Bulls fought hard in the second set, keeping the score close, and secured a 26-24 win. In the third set, the teams were neck and neck, remaining within two points of each other, but Ohio was able to finish the set 26-24. The Bobcats closed the match by winning the fourth and final set 25-21.
The second match-up of the weekend took place Saturday afternoon, in what was Buffalo’s final away match of the regular season. The first set started similarly to Friday night's meeting; with the teams neck and neck.The Bobcats were able to once again end the opening set on top, with a score of 25-23. Ohio gained an early lead in the second set, and Buffalo could not catch up, closing the set 25-19. Not wanting to give up, the Bulls were able to come from behind in the third set and make a series of multipoint runs. They managed to tie the set on four occasions but ultimately fell short 25-20.
The Bulls will now look to keep their conference tournament hopes alive, as they wrap up MAC play this weekend. They host the Eastern Michigan Eagles (13-17, 7-9 MAC) in a doubleheader at Alumni Arena, the first match begins at 6 p.m. on Friday and the second at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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