OH-IO: Buckeyes beat Gauchos in 5 games to win 2011 national championship

For the first time in its program history, Ohio State is the national champions.

Ohio State defeated UC Santa Barbara 20-25, 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 15-9 in the men’s volleyball NCAA championship match on Saturday in University Park, Pa., to become the first Midwest school to win the national title.

Outside attacker Shawn Sangrey had a match-high 30 kills as the Buckeyes out-hit the Gauchos .329 to .198. Along with Sangrey, three other Buckeyes had at least 10 kills in the victory.

Gauchos outside attacker Cullen Irons had a team-high 16 kills in the loss.

Ohio State had previously lost in the championship match twice, including most recently in 2000. UC Santa Barbara has now lost five times in the title match in the 42 years of the NCAA Tournament.

This is the first time a MIVA team has legally won the NCAA championship. Lewis won the 2003 championship but the title was later vacated because the Flyers used ineligible players

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