I've always enjoyed playing volleyball (never been great at it, but a decent setter), but don't get to watch it too much. Looking for a soccer game earlier today, I instead caught a little bit of an Illinois/Ohio State women's volleyball match. I didn't notice right away, but Illinois (ranked #1 overall. How did that happen?) was well on their way to crushing OSU, ahead 20-14 in the third game (after winning the first two). But I wanted to write about the next point.
Emily Danks was serving (very well; she even had an ace a few points later), but Illinois still returned it with a spike. OSU got the spike up in the air, but weren't able to do much more than get the ball over the net. This pattern repeated several times (with the center-back player, whose name I missed, getting most of them). That's a really bad plan for winning a match, but it worked for them this time as they finally managed to get a misplay by Illinois that sent the ball out of bounds.
I'm really not doing the play justice, but just wanted to mention it, as it's one of the best volleys I've ever seen in a match. And OSU did manage to run off six points in a row, but it was a last gasp, as they were still swept in the match.
In any event, it might be the first time I've ever cheered for OSU. And might well be the last, come to that.
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