Around the Oval: Men's Volleyball Splits, No. 2 Men's Tennis Dominates, Swimming Rolls and More

MVB Goes 1-1 on West coast doubleheader

It's the second week of the season for the Ohio State volleyball team, and they've already equaled their loss total from a season ago. Credit the emergence of other programs, the graduation of players from the Ohio State program — whatever. Regardless, the path back to a third national championship for the men's volleyball Buckeyes is going to be all the more harder this season.

The Buckeyes suffered their second loss of the year over the weekend, defeating USC in four games before losing another five set heartbreaker, this time dropping one to UCLA.

Ohio State rode the ever-consistent play of Nicolas Szerszen to the victory over the Trojans. His 17 kills — with seven in the clinching set — were key to the Buckeye victory. Martin Lallemand and Maxime Hervoir chipped in with 11 kills and eight kills respectively. 

It came down to the actual wire against the Bruins. The final set with a score of 16-14. Szerszen was big for the Buckeyes, contributing 21 kills and 12 digs for a double double on the night. Redshirt freshman Jake Hanes followed with an 18 kill performance.

The Buckeyes were forced to play from behind all night after a 25-18 opening set triumph by the Bruins. Ohio State had a set deficit twice before evening the score, though the Bruins were able to come back and win in five.

Men's Tennis Rolls at home to start the year

It was a dominating performance for the Buckeye men's tennis team to start the season, as they swept Xavier and Cleveland State by scores of 7-0 and 4-0 throughout the day Saturday at the OSU Varsity Tennis Center.

The morning contest with the Musketeers lasted a little more than an hour. 

No. 5 Mikael Torpegaard defeated Brett Winters of Xavier 6-2, 6-1 in his first competition of the season. No. 26 Kyle Seelig rolled 6-0, 6-2 in his debut match. Throughout the morning competition, no player from Ohio State allowed more than two games to a Xavier opponent.

Cleveland State met the buzzsaw of Ohio State as the afternoon commenced. 

Torpegaard was a game away from winning his second match of the afternoon before the match was clinched. OSU got wins from John McNally, Martin Joyce and another win from Seelig to seal the win for the Buckeyes. 

Ohio State won all doubles matches throughout the day as well.

Swimming speeds by a host of top-25 programs

It turns out that football isn't the only sport in which Alabama gets housed by Ohio State.

Both the men's and women's swim and dive teams went into Tuscaloosa and came away with wins. The No. 11 women defeated the No. 23 Crimson Tide 180-118 while the 16th-ranked men defeated the No. 17 Crimson Tide by a score of 168-132.

Meg Bailey won the 200 fly with a time of 1:58.74 and the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:00.46 while Kathrin Demler was another multiple winner, winning the 200 freestyle in 1:50.19 and the 500 freestyle in 4:53.29. Liz Li capped the trio of double winners with wins in the 50 and 100 freestyles in times of 22.51 and 49.75 seconds.

On the men's side, Noah Lense continued his run throughout the 100 and 200 butterfly, winning in 47.20 and 1:46.40.

Things Go swimmingly on Senior day

After the Buckeyes got home from Tuscaloosa, the weekend was spent with a trio of dominant wins on Senior Day at McCorkle Acquatic Pavilion.

The men defeated No. 19 Virginia Tech by a score of 207-93 while the women defeated the Hokies 202-98 and then defeated Rutgers by a score of 239-61.

Paul DeLakis led the way for the scarlet and gray on the men's side as the freshman won both the 100 and 200 freestyle events, while being the anchor on the 400 freestyle relay team that finished first as well.

Liz Li won again won both the 50 and 100 meter freestyles in 22.29 and 49.09.

On the diving board, Stephen Romanik won the one-meter dive with a score of 361.13 while true freshman Lara Tarvit scored 256.73 to win platform.

OTher scores and News

• Ohio State wrestling put 15,000+ in the Schott in their win over Iowa
• Women's hockey swept No.5 Minnesota.
• Women's basketball dropped a home loss to No. 19 Michigan.
• Jenna Swartzentruber tied for first in all-around at Iowa but the Buckeyes dropped the meet 195.725-195.3 in women's gymnastics.
• No. 3 men's gymnastics fell to No.1 Nebraska, 411.750-404.150.
• Women's T&F won the Simmons-Harvey Quad Meet while the men finished second
• Rifle defeated two top-10 teams at home to start 2018.
• Anthony McCollum won the Camp Perry Open in pistol.