ROMEOVILLE, Ill. -- The No. 15 Lewis University men's volleyball team came back from down 2-1 to defeat The Ohio State University 3-2 Saturday (March 22). 
 
HEAD COACH DAN FRIEND
"I was really proud of our defensive effort and play, especially at the end of the match.  It was a great grind out win!"
 
TEAM RECORDS
No. 14 Lewis 17-7, 7-4 MIVA | Ohio State 11-10, 6-5 MIVA
                   
LEWIS LEADERS vs. Ohio State
Kills: Oguzhan Oguz (Bursa, Turkey/Ocean) (24)
Digs: Nico Paula (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Preparatory School) (16)
Assists: Tyler Morgan (Dike, Iowa/Dike-New Hartford) (26), Diego Estrada (Ponce, Puerto Rico/Adianez) (16)
Aces: Max Roquet (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) (2)
Blocks: Shawn Baggs Jr. (Gilbert, Ariz./Casteel HS) (9)

SET BREAKDOWN
SET 1: Lewis 25, Ohio State 22
Lewis scored the first three points of the contest capped off by a kill from Oguz. Ohio State responded with a pair to cut it down to 3-2. 
 
Moments later, the Flyers extended their lead to 18-11 after an ace from Tyler Walenga (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) and ace from Deyan Todorov (Sofia, Bulgaria/51st Secondary).  Ohio State rallied late after scoring five straight points late in the set, making it 24-22 in favor of Lewis.
 
Lewis was able to regroup and get the last point after a kill from Todorov. The Flyers took a 1-0 lead. 
 
SET 2: Ohio State 25, Lewis 21
Both teams traded runs back and forth. Lewis was ahead 10-8 early after an attack error by the Buckeyes.
 
Ohio State went on a 7-1 run, putting them ahead 16-11. Lewis rallied to get back in the set with three straight points including kills from Frederick Krueger-Beer (Milwaukee, Wis./Wauwatosa East) and Deyan Todorov (Sofia, Bulgaria/51st Secondary) to make it 16-14.
 
Lewis was able to cut it down as close as 19-18 after Roquet picked up the kill but that was the closest it got as the Buckeyes closed out the set 6-3 to win it 25-21 to tie the match 1-1. 
 
SET 3: Ohio State 25, Lewis 20
Ohio State jumped out to an early 3-1 lead then Lewis responded with three straight including a pair of kills from Oguz, giving the Flyers a 4-3 advantage.  The Buckeyes tied it with the next point then Lewis regained the lead with four straight again including a pair of kills from Baggs Jr. 
 
Ohio State came back with three straight points of their own including five of six, tying it at 9-9. Lewis proceeded to score two straight points then Buckeyes turned the set around with a 7-2 run, giving them a 16-13 advantage. 
 
Lewis cut it down as close as 19-18 after a kill from Oguz. Ohio State closed out the third set on a 6-2 run to win the set 25-20 and take a 2-1 lead.
 
SET 4: Lewis 25, Ohio State 18
Both teams each scored six points each to begin the fourth set. Lewis strung together four straight points, giving the Flyers a 10-6 lead including a pair of kills from Oguz and an ace from Roquet. 
 
Lewis led the rest of the way for a set in a set that the team desperately needed to stay alive in the match.  The Buckeyes brought it down to 19-16 in favor of the Flyers.
 
The Flyers responded when they needed to with a pair of kills from Oguz and Daniel Haber (Remsenburg, NY/Westhampton Beach), giving Lewis a 21-16 lead. Ohio State scored the next point then Lewis rallied for three straight, capped off by an ace from Haber.
 
The Buckeyes scored the next point, making it 24-18. Lewis forced the fifth set after a Ohio State service error, giving the Flyers the 25-18 victory.
 
SET 5: Lewis 15, Ohio State 13
Ohio State took a commanding 4-1 lead early in the fifth set looking to win the match. Lewis did not give up as the Flyers went on 4-1 run of their own tying the set at 5-5 including kills from Baggs Jr. and Haber.
 
Both teams traded points before the Buckeyes went on another surge to pull ahead 10-8. The Flyers responded with a pair of points of their own to tie it at 10-10 including a kill from Roquet.
 
The two teams each scored two points each to keep it tied at 12-12. Lewis got the next two to force match point. 
 
Ohio State had one last point off a kill, making it 14-13 Lewis. On the next play, the Buckeyes server served it into the net for the service error, giving the Flyers the 15-13 set victory and the 3-2 match win.
 
FINAL SCORE: Lewis 3, Ohio State 2
 
UP NEXT
Lewis hosts Queens Thursday, March 27 for a MIVA Contest starting at 7 p.m. CT for Pride Night.
 
UPCOMING EVENTS
Be sure to join us Wednesday, March 26 as we induct our newest members of the Athletics Hall of Fame at the Flyer Red Dinner at Bolingbrook Golf Club starting at 6 p.m. CT. Purchase tickets at https://lewisflyers.com/2025FlyerRedDinner

LEWIS ANNUAL FUND 
Support the Flyers by making a gift to the Flyers Athletics Fund at https://lewisflyers.com/202425AnnualFund