Ohio State Men’s Volleyball Faces Tough Defeat to Long Beach State

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In an electrifying showdown at the Covelli Center, the No. 13 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1) faced a formidable opponent in the defending national champions, the No. 2 Long Beach State Beach (5-0). Despite taking the opening set, Ohio State ultimately succumbed to Long Beach in a 3-1 match that highlighted the intensity and skill present in college volleyball.

Key Players Shine for Ohio State

Ohio State was spearheaded by standout performances, particularly from Shane Wetzel, who notched 14 kills in the match. With this achievement, Wetzel climbed to the No. 13 position on the career kills list at Ohio State, amassing a total of 1,065 kills and inching closer to No. 12 Colin McMillan, who recorded 1,206 kills from 1997-2000.

In addition to Wetzel, setter Daniel Henwood Rodriguez played a crucial role in orchestrating the offense, tallying up 32 assists. Defensively, libero Drew Hudson showcased his prowess by leading both teams with 10 digs. Meanwhile, both Stanislaw Chacinski and Owen Pickering contributed significantly to the Buckeyes’ defense with six digs each.

Set 1: Buckeyes Take Command

The match commenced with the Buckeyes demonstrating their potential. Ohio State surged to a 4-1 lead as Long Beach struggled with multiple errors. A pivotal moment came when Eliel Salva-Torres scored a kill, nudging the score to 7-6 in favor of Ohio State. Following a series of rapid exchanges that pushed the Buckeyes to a 20-15 lead, a kill from Wetzel widened their margin, culminating in a set victory at 25-21. This was a historic moment, marking Long Beach’s first set loss of the season.

S1 | Kill by Shane! 7-6 Bucks

Set 2: Long Beach Responds

The momentum shifted in the second set as Long Beach showcased their resilience. The teams exchanged points, with the score knotted at 3-3 before Long Beach seized a slight lead. After a successful challenge, the Beach extended their advantage to 12-8. Although the Buckeyes rallied with back-to-back kills from Wetzel and Salva-Torres, they struggled to recover from service errors, losing the set 25-18.

S2 | Eliel gets the kill!

Set 3: The Beach Continues to Dominate

As the third set unfolded, Long Beach quickly established a lead of 6-2. Ohio State fought back, with Wetzel and Chacinski delivering kills that evened the score at 7-7. However, the momentum shifted as Long Beach executed a service ace and maintained pressure, leading to another set victory at 25-18.

S3 | Shane gets the kill!

Set 4: A Hard-Fought Finish

Going into the final set, Ohio State came out strong with an initial block led by Owen Pickering, Wetzel, and Aaron Grimm. The Buckeyes maintained momentum with kills from Chacinski and Salva-Torres. However, Long Beach executed a series of kills, leading Ohio State to call a timeout trailing 21-16. A pivotal block by Long Beach sealed the victory for them at 25-20, concluding the match.

S4 | Kill by Stan!

What’s Next for the Buckeyes

As the Buckeyes move forward, they are set to complete a six-match homestand to kick off the 2026 season. Next weekend, they will host Lincoln Memorial in a two-match series, with games scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. Both matches will be available for live streaming on B1G+.

In a season full of potential, Ohio State aims to build upon their early successes and refine their strategies as they face new challenges ahead.

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