COLUMBUS, Ohio (Oct. 7, 2017) – Rutgers volleyball wrapped up its first Big Ten road trip of the season on Saturday with a straight-set loss to Ohio State by scores of 25-15, 25-12 and 26-24.
 
Sophomore setter Megan Sharkey surpassed 1,000 career assists with 15 helpers against the Buckeyes (10-7, 3-3 Big Ten). Now with 1,006, Sharkey is 78 away from cracking the Top 10 in the program record book.
 
For the second straight evening, the Scarlet Knights (5-13, 0-6) outblocked a Big Ten opponent, claiming the battle at the net 4-3 over the Buckeyes. This marks the ninth match this season Rutgers has more blocks than its foe, and RU is 4-5 in those contests. Sophomore middle blocker Jasmine Stackhouse and freshman outside hitter Kamila Cieslik led the way with three block assists apiece, which all came together as blocking partners.
 
Stackhouse also led the attack with six kills and a .250 hitting clip, followed by five kills apiece from Cieslik and junior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie.
 
Set 1 | Ohio State 25, Rutgers 15
The Buckeyes opened on a 5-0 run, prompting an early Rutgers timeout. The Scarlet Knights scored two points out of the break before Ohio State scored nine straight to lead 14-2. RU served up two aces and McLetchie bounced one of two first set kills to pace a 7-1 run, causing Ohio State to call a timeout of their own.
 
The final point of that run was a result of a rare double challenge. An OSU attack originally called to be out of bounds was overturned on the basis of a Rutgers tip. Rutgers head coach CJ Werneke, however, threw a challenge card of his own, and was rewarded as the officials saw a Buckeye player in the net on their second review of the same play. Rutgers trailed 15-9 as a result.
 
The Buckeyes used a 5-0 run late to set up game point at 24-13 before sophomore middle blocker Stasa Miljevic saved one set point with Rutgers' third ace of the set.
 
Set 2 | Ohio State 25, Rutgers 12
Early spurts of three and seven helped OSU to a 9-3 advantage before back-to-back Rutgers points broke up the run on McLetchie's kill and a block assist from Cieslik and sophomore middle blocker Jasmine Stachouse. The Buckeyes took the set on the back of three more 3-0 runs down the stretch, despite Rutgers earning their final three points via kills from Miljevic, Cieslik and McLetchie.
 
Set 3 | Ohio State 26, Rutgers 24
Rutgers took a lead for the first time on Saturday, going up 2-0 on the third block combo from Cieslik and Stackhouse, followed by a Sharkey ace. The ensuing 9-1 OSU run put the home side up 11-5 and forced an RU timeout. Down 21-12, the Scarlet Knights put together their most successful run of the Big Ten season, a 9-1 stint that brought them within one at 22-21. The run was sparked on Sharkey and Miljevic's block, and fueled by kills off the hands of McLetchie, Miljevic and freshman outside hitter Yana Kamshilina.
 
Rutgers tied the score at 23-23 on back-to-back OSU attack errors. Werneke ended up 2-for-2 in the challenge department as an apparent match-winner was overturned to tie the set again at 24-24, the third tie of the stanza. Ohio State bounced kills for the final two points and the victory.
 
KNIGHT NOTES

• Ohio State remains undefeated against Rutgers in the Big Ten without dropping a set (6-0).
• Sharkey's 1000^th assist came on a Cieslik kill in the third set to bring the Scarlet Knights within two points at 7-5. Next up for Sharkey is the program's all-time Top 10 list with Jennifer DelGais' 1,082 at No. 10 and Nicole Bayer's 1,084 at No. 9.
• Ohio State made three consecutive NCAA Sweet Sixteens from 2014-16. Currently receiving nine votes in the AVCA Top 25 Poll, the Buckeyes have been ranked as high as No. 20 at one point this season.
• Rutgers five service aces are a team-high through six Big Ten matches this season | Miljevic (2), McLetchie (1), Cieslik (1), Sharkey (1).

 
Up Next: The Scarlet Knights return to New Brunswick for a Big Ten weekend against Michigan (Friday, Oct. 13) and Michigan State (Saturday, Oct. 14). Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. in the College Ave. Gym.
 
 
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