The Bobcats' competition does not get any easier since their last game one week ago.
Following its two losses to Wright State on Mar. 23, Ohio (5-18, 0-0 Mid-American Conference) travels to Columbus today for a doubleheader with Ohio State.
The Buckeyes (18-10, 2-0 Big Ten) are ranked 21st in the nation by the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 poll.
This is not particularly impressive to the Bobcats. They have already faced some of the best teams in the country this season.
In Ohio's fourth game of the season, it lost, 4-3, to Washington. With a 28-2 record and 29 first-place votes in the poll, Washington is the top-ranked team in the country.
The Bobcats also lost to Tennessee and Texas, currently ranked 16th and 17th respectively.
We've come off a pre-conference schedule that has pitted us against a number of high-level teams
said coach Jodi Hermanek. (Ohio State is) right there in the middle of the mix. They're no different from the others.
Experience against quality teams is no guarantee of a win against the Buckeyes. Hermanek said she is looking for her team to clean up mistakes it has made recently, mistakes that have cost the Bobcats in close games.
We've just been trying to recreate the repetitions of the situations that we've been in that we've come on the downside of Hermanek said. Whether it's a base-running error ... or whether it's a ground ball situation ... or a pitch that we shouldn't have called.
Hermanek added that mental mistakes can't be corrected through practice, but rather through staying focused and concentrating on every play.
Anytime you're trying to get your athletes to perform consistently
it's always about just mentally slowing things down and staying composed and in control
Hermanek said.
Pep-talk from Groce
Ohio is hoping its season pans out similarly to another team at Ohio.
Men's basketball coach John Groce spoke to the Bobcats yesterday on topics including the basketball team's late-season run. Hermanek said the two teams' situations are similar because of mediocre regular seasons.
As the ninth seed in the MAC Tournament, the basketball team beat Kent State, Miami and defending champion Akron to become MAC champions and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Getting to the tournament would have been a success by itself, but the squad upset third-seeded Georgetown before losing to Tennessee in the second round.
It's kind of a familiar and comparable situation from his to ours
Hermanek said. I thought it would be a great opportunity for the girls to hear ... (from) a team that's brought themselves success.
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Nathaniel Maund
