COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL : Ohio State Sweeps Past Northridge

Right when the Cal State Northridge volleyball team was supposed to come back and win Tuesday’s nonconference match against Ohio State, the Matadors faded and lost, 15-11, 15-8, 16-14.

Northridge’s last three victories had been five-game, come-from-behind efforts in which the Matadors showed little signs of life until about the third game.

The pattern was expected to be repeated Tuesday, but Northridge couldn’t snap its listlessness. The sixth-ranked Matadors (13-6) appeared lethargic while their shorter, less-talented and unranked opponents looked pumped up and intense.

The Buckeyes (12-6) ended Northridge’s eight-game winning streak.

“Emotionally we were flat again and I don’t understand why,” Northridge Coach John Price said. “It has been a continuous problem. We’re not good enough to not be emotionally in a match. They played with desire and that’s why they won, because physically they don’t match up against us.”

As he has done in three previous matches, Price experimented with his lineup in an effort to find the right combination. This time, however, the reserves couldn’t spark the team.

The Matadors committed 33 errors.

“We expected a hell of a match from them, but we sure didn’t get it,” Ohio State Coach Pete Hanson said. “I really don’t know what happened to them.”

Northridge led throughout most of the first game, but the Buckeyes tied it, 10-10, then went on to win it when Steve Potter smacked a ball cross-court on game point. Potter, a senior outside hitter, had a match-high 22 kills.

Trailing, 14-8, the Matadors held off five game points before losing the second game. Northridge seemed to side out with ease, but the Matadors had difficulty scoring all night.