The No. 22 Ohio volleyball team will face an opponent with a similar style tonight when they travel to Bowling Green.
While the Falcons play a familiar offensive style to the Bobcats, the thing the two teams have most in common is that they are both undefeated in the Mid-American Conference at 10-0.
Tonight's match will finally put one team on top of the MAC East Division standings after five weeks of conference action. Though tied in MAC play, the Falcons, 21-2 overall, have been sitting above the Bobcats (18-3) in the standings.
Despite the Falcons' better record, the Bobcats have weathered a tougher out-of-conference schedule.
They are a good team
though they haven't played the non-conference schedule like we did Ohio coach Geoff Carlston said. Still they are a very solid team and will play with confidence at home. They are well-coached and have some of the top players in the conference.
The Bobcats' three losses came against Washington, Wisconsin and San Diego ' all top 20 teams in the AVCA coaches poll. The Falcons dropped matches to Notre Dame and Cleveland State, but they are riding a 17-match winning streak into tonight's match.
Ohio is banking on their rough preseason schedule to have them prepared for a hostile environment on the road.
We have more experience
especially with the tough preseason this year
middle blocker Amanda Andersen said. I think we will be successful because we have that background and that experience that they don't.
With the two teams' fast-paced offense, Ohio is looking to take advantage of being able to practice against themselves. Middle blocker Jane Sytsma said the Bobcats should have the advantage in the match.
Their style of play is sort of like ours
they have a big right-side hitter and fast counter attack
so it kind of will be like playing ourselves
as we do in practice
Sytsma said. We've been scrimmaging ourselves to get ready for them and we are hyped-up to play them.
Carlston said he is pleased with his team's preparation this week and said his team has to win the key points in the games.
The big thing is who will play the big points well
it will be a back-and-forth match and our players are ready to play in a hostile environment
Carlston said. We've had a good week of practice and we just got to go in there fresh and take care of business.
