In front of a home crowd that was inspired by a dominant performance from beginning to end, the University of Miami women’s volleyball team defeated Ohio State in three consecutive sets (25–18, 25–16, and 25–21) to earn their first victory of the year.
The Hurricanes sought redemption after losing by a slim margin to Indiana the previous evening, and their hunger was evident.
Head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara’s starting lineup consisted of:
Outside hitters – Ava Carney, Flormarie Heredia Colon, Jazmin Vergara
Setter – Ariana Rodriguez
Middle blocker – Dalia Wilson, Simone Baskin
Libero – Naylani Feliciano
The ’Canes established the tone right away when Carney made a defensive stop early on before Vergara and Wilson then joined forces for a crucial block that gave Miami the lead in the first set, which concluded 25–18.
Miami maintained control throughout the second, opening with a 4-0 run and ending the set 25–16 with incisive hitting and solid blocking.
The Buckeyes battled to survive in the third and final set, but the Canes’ unity was at its strongest. Feliciano dug out a hard ball and connected with Rodriguez, who then set up Carney for a massive kill that helped secure the 25–21 victory.
Miami held a clear statistical advantage over Ohio State in every category, including kills (43–32), hitting percentage (.327 to.156), blocks (7-3), digs (42–33), and assists (33–30).
Baskin and Wilson combined for seven blocks to anchor the net. Carney contributed 12, while Heredia Colon led all scorers with 17 kills. Feliciano led the defense with 19 digs, while Rodriguez led the attack with 30 assists.
The sweep demonstrated Miami’s depth, adaptability, and poise. Ohio State was no match for the Hurricane’s speed and effectiveness, especially at the net.
UM (1-1, 0-0 ACC) will remain in South Florida next week for the upcoming “305 Challenge” where the team will face the likes of Drake, North Texas and UCF.