Box Score
KENT, Ohio (Sept. 19, 2008) – Freshman Kelli Barhorst posted a match-high .556 hitting percentage thanks to 10 kills on 18 errorless swings and six blocks in leading Ohio State to a three-set (25-7, 25-11, 25-9) win over Chicago State at the Kent State/Mizuno Open at KSU's M.A.C. Center. The Buckeyes improved their season record to 9-3 and the Cougars fell to 0-13 on the year.
Redshirt junior Shamara Clark (Bloomington, IN/South) (Bloomington, Ind.) paced CSU with six kills, while sophomore Hanya Minta (Eden Prairie, MN/Eden Prairie) (Eden Prairie, Minn.) tallied 14 assists. Junior Jean Keenan (/) (Braidwood, Ill.) posted three kills and junior Chy Crichton (The Dalles, OR/Mt. Hood CC) (The Dalles, Ore.) tallied seven digs.
In the first set, the Buckeyes jumped out to a 9-2 lead on consecutive service aces by sophomore Susan Halverson. OSU later used an 8-2 scoring drive to increase its advantage to 17-4 on a kill from junior Kristen Dozier en route to claiming a 1-0 lead in the match.
OSU posted a 13-4 lead to begin the second set behind six points off Halverson's serve before Chicago State scored three of the next five points to close its deficit to 15-7 after a kill from sophomore Hope Lockett (St. Paul, MN/Central) (St. Paul, Minn.) and a Ohio State hitting error. A 10-4 run by the Buckeyes closed out the stanza and they entered the intermission with a two-set advantage.
A block by Dozier and sophomore Betsy Hone propelled Ohio State to a 12-2 leading margin in the third set and Dozier later connected on a service ace that hiked the Buckeyes' lead to 17-5. The Cougars could get no closer than 14 points for the remainder of the set.
Junior Chelsea Noble contributed a match-best eight digs and six kills for Ohio State, while junior Ashley Hughes recorded a match-high 15 assists and six service aces. Hone finished with seven assists and four blocks assists, Halverson recorded five digs and four service aces and freshman Maria Ralson posted six digs.
The Cougars conclude play the Kent State/Mizuno Open tomorrow with an 11 a.m., contest against the host Golden Flashes before facing Duquesne at 3 p.m.
~ CSU ~
