The Ohio volleyball team has navigated through the first half of its conference schedule without a blemish, but coach Geoff Carlston said he realizes the second half will bring a lot of obstacles.
The teams that have separated themselves in the conference this season
we have yet to see Carlston said following Saturday's victory over Akron. We do not have a walk in the park the rest of the season. The good thing is we have half of (the remaining conference matches) at home.
No. 21 Ohio (16-3, 8-0 Mid-American Conference) will try to take its next step toward its third straight undefeated conference season when it hosts Western Michigan (13-9, 3-5 MAC) and Northern Illinois (14-6, 7-1 MAC) this weekend.
Ohio swept its matches against Buffalo and Akron last weekend, running its home match winning streak to 41 and its conference match winning streak to 40 in the process. The team is expecting a tough challenge from two more opponents who are looking to end those streaks.
We're expecting to see better competition from both teams and a lot more intensity outside hitter Stephanie Blackburn said. Blackburn and middle blocker Melissa Griffin are both on the verge of collecting 1,000 kills for their careers. Blackburn needs 35 and Griffin needs 37.
Western Michigan is in the middle of a four-match road trip. The Broncos split their two matches last weekend, winning at Ball State and falling to Toledo. Outside hitter Kathryn Babcock leads the Broncos in kills, averaging 3.71 per game, while setter Jennifer Sulewski has two triple-doubles for the team this season.
The more-anticipated match of the weekend comes Saturday when the Bobcats host Northern Illinois. The MAC West-leading Huskies are on a four-match winning streak heading into their contest with Kent State today. The team is led by middle blocker Kate McCullagh, who averages 5.61 kills per game and had 23 kills in the Huskies' last meeting with Ohio, a 3-1 Bobcats win in the opening round of last year's MAC Tournament.
I know it's clich+
but she's going to get her kills
Carlston said of McCullagh. When she's in the front row
she's going to do some things that make you just have to say
'That's a good shot
guys ' side out and let's go.'
Northern Illinois is also coming off its first win at Ball State in program history, and Ohio hopes to keep the Huskies from another big road win.
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