The Bobcats have shown they can win on neutral sites and on their home floor.
Now they have to do it on the road.
At 9-4, this is a pivotal weekend for Ohio, who makes its first road trip of the Mid-American Conference schedule today. They face Bowling Green tonight and travel to Oxford for a Sunday afternoon match with rival Miami.
In the most recent American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA) poll, the Bobcats didn't receive a single vote for top 25 consideration. Surprising, considering the Bobcats defeated former No. 14 Middle Tennessee State and played a tough three-game stretch to open the season.
All three teams Ohio lost to in the season-opening tournament (No. 1 Penn State, No. 5 UCLA, No. 7 Hawaii) have been top 10 teams every week of the season.
Judging by recent history, both Bowling Green and Miami will be eager to put a dent in Ohio's MAC title aspirations.
The Bobcats have won 10 consecutive matches against the Falcons (10-6) and haven't dropped a decision in Oxford since 2001.
The RedHawks won the last meeting in 2007, defeating the then No.15 ranked Bobcats in the MAC tournament in a three-game sweep.
Bowling Green had a pretty good preseason
but they had a tough opening weekend coach Ryan Theis said. They have one of the premier players in our conference (outsider hitter Kendra Halm) and there's certain things we have to do to slow them down.
Halm averaged nearly six kills per set last weekend and is one of the MAC's most efficient outside hitters.
The RedHawks (7-7) have been hot and cold at times this season, winning six in a row from Aug. 30 to Sept. 12. Miami followed that winning streak with a five-match losing streak, dropping them to .500 on the season.
Miami is the defending champions
Theis said. They're a very good team
a disciplined team. They're probably the steadiest team in our conference.
Junior outside hitter Ellen Herman acknowledged the importance of this weekend's matches and said the challenges keep getting tougher.
Miami is more versatile (than last weekend's opponents)
Herman said. Akron had maybe a couple players they could fill in with
but this weekend is different.
We aren't going to start off slow this weekend ' our emotions are going to be high, and we want to win these matches.
