ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) recorded a career-high 20 kills in No. 13 Lewis' 3-1 win at Ohio State on Thursday evening at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio. The Flyers improve to 13-10, 5-6 MIVA while the Buckeyes fall to 10-13, 4-7 MIVA.
Lewis led by three early in the opening stanza but Ohio State battled back to even the set at 21 after a kill from Jacob Pasteur. The Flyers retook the lead at 23-22 after a kill from Mitchem but the Buckeyes scored back-to-back points to get to set point at 24-23 after a kill from Samuel Clark. Lewis was able to fight off set point and scored the final three points of the frame to win the opener 26-24.
The Flyers fell behind early and were never able to catch up as Ohio State led by as many as eight in the set. The Buckeyes hit .684 in the stanza recording 15 kills against two errors in 19 attempts. Clark and Pasteur led OSU with five kills apiece in the frame while Cole Young added three kills. Mitchem paced Lewis with five kills.
The Flyers led by as many as four early in the swing set but the Buckeyes came back to take a 20-17 lead after a kill from Clark. Lewis rallied scoring seven of the next eight points to take a 24-21 lead after Mitchem and
Cole Brillhart (York, Pa./Northeastern) stuffed Clark. Mitchem, Brillhart,
Max Roquet (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) and
Christian Prayer (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) all had kills in the run. Ohio State got back-to-back kills from Martin Lallemand to close within 24-23 before Prayer picked up his third kill of the stanza to give the Flyers the 25-23 victory.
Lewis built a four-point lead in the final frame but the Buckeyes rallied to get within 13-12 after Lallemand and Ethan Talley blocked Prayer. The Flyers pulled away thanks to a 9-4 run to build a 22-16 lead after a kill from Mitchem. Ohio State wouldn't get closer than five the rest of the match as Lewis scored the final two points of the match to win 25-18.
The Flyers hit .370 for the match with 51 kills against 14 errors in 100 chances. Mitchem led all players with his 20 kills while Prayer and
Joe Kenzinger (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice) added five kills apiece.
Kevin Kauling (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) finished with 32 assists, Mitchem had eight blocks and Roquet had six digs.
The Buckeyes had a .327 attack percentage recording 54 kills against 18 errors in 110 swings. Clark, Pasteur and Lallemand combined for 44 of those kills. Noah Platfoot finished with 43 assists and Clark had a match-high seven digs.
Lewis plays its final road game of the regular season on Saturday evening as it travels to Muncie, Ind., to take on eighth ranked Ball State at 4 p.m. (CDT).
