WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

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Amy Brown

BUFFALO, NY - The Ohio Bobcats proved why they are ranked 23rd in the country with a decisive three-game shutout of the Bulls in Mid-American Conference volleyball action Friday night in Alumni Arena. Game scores were 30-20, 30-11 and 30-19. The win was Ohio's ninth in a row and improved its record to 17-2 overall and 7-0 in the MAC. Buffalo fell to 8-13 overall and 0-7 in the conference.

The Bulls started out strong in game one, taking a 12-8 lead following a 4-0 run that ended with a solo block by junior Nikki Morzenti (Safety Harbor, FL/Clearwater). The Bobcats, however, rebounded to tie the game at 14-14, and the lead went back and forth until Ohio broke a 19-19 tie on a kill by Melissa Griffin. That point started a 5-0 OU run before a kill by junior Lauren Burd (York, PA/Central York) made the score 24-20. Ohio then closed the game on a 6-0 run, with Griffin serving an ace for the final point. OU's Stephanie Blackburn had four of her match-high 16 kills during the two runs to pace the Bobcats.

Game two started out in a 3-3 tie before the Bobcats took control with runs of 7-0 and 9-0 that gave them a 19-5 lead. Ohio hit .412 in the game, led by five kills from Blackburn and four from Julia Winkfield. The Bobcats broke an 8-8 tie in game three with a 4-0 run and then put the match out of reach with a later 7-0 run. Ohio hit .415 in game three.

Morzenti led the Bulls with nine kills, while junior Brandie Clark (Medicine Hat, Alberta/Medicine Hat) had a team-high 15 digs. Senior Amy Brown (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) finished with 25 assists and six digs, and sophomore Sarah Streib (Baldwinsville, NY/Baker) added six kills and five digs. Brown's six digs put her over the 900 mark for her career (902).

Blackburn's 16 kills led four players in double digits in kills for the Bobcats. Griffin added 12, Winkfield finished with 11, and Jenna Gaughran posted a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Michaele Blackburn had a match-high 24 digs, and setter Savanah Parra had 45 assists, 11 digs and four kills. The Bobcats hit .360 in the match compared to the Bulls' .108.

Buffalo is home again Saturday night at 6 pm versus Kent State.