A host of postseason scenarios for Ohio, including a possible first round bye, will unfold at the conclusion of this, the final weekend of Mid-American Conference play.
Regardless of those scenarios, the Ohio field hockey team has just one thing on its mind - winning.
The Bobcats (6-10 overall, 4-4 MAC) play a pair of road contests versus Louisville and Miami. Ohio begins play today in fifth place in the conference but can climb into second place with a pair of wins and some help.
We control our own destiny at this point
to some degree said Ohio coach Shelly Morris. And we just want to finish off with two good wins against these teams.
For the Bobcats to be eligible for second place and a bye, they must first sweep the weekend's games. From there, it will be out of Ohio's hands.
If Ohio does win both, and Louisville loses to conference leader Kent State, and Ball State defeats Central Michigan, then the Bobcats will be propelled into second place and earn a bye in the MAC tournament.
Back Danielle Jenness said Ohio is concerned only with winning the games it can control.
The bye would be great but if we don't get it
we'll be fine I'm sure
Jenness said.
The weekend kicks off today with Ohio visiting Louisville (10-8, 5-3 MAC), which Ohio beat 1-0 earlier in the season. Though the Bobcats have to play away from the friendly turf of Pruitt Field, they do not mind making the trip to Louisville.
We're excited to go play down there
Morris said. We play well down there.
Ohio won the 2001 MAC championship at Trager Stadium.
We won a championship there
so we have a good karma with that field
Morris said.
The Ohio-Louisville match-up has grown into one of the more prominent rivalries in the MAC. Four of the last five meetings have ended in at least one overtime period, and each of those meetings has resulted in one-goal margins.
We always play really well against them
and it's always an intense game the whole time
Jenness said.
Ohio has become accustomed to one-goal margins in 2003. Each of Ohio's four
MAC wins has been won by a single goal.
Morris said time in practice is spent working offensively to increase the scoring and hopefully make for more comfortable leads.
In practice
we put them in good positions where they're set up to score
