As if the pressure of the start of the conference season weren’t enough, the 2010 Mid-American Conference championship team will be honored this weekend during the MAC opener against rival Bowling Green
Head coach Ryan Theis said he does not subscribe to the distractions that events like these can cause.
“There will be a lot of presentations going on … but we talk about as long we are focused at game time, that’s important,” Theis said. “I’m not a huge believer in the 50 minutes before a game that this is what happens and this is the protocol. There are too many variables to worry about that.”
Focusing on the match is part of protocol, but Ohio prepares differently for its most familiar foes.
Theis said that when the Bobcats are playing conference foes, they study their opponent more than they would be able to earlier in the season.
“We were able to spend 20 to 30 minutes on an opponent, which we’ve really never been able to set aside that kind of time for somebody,” Theis said. “Definitely more classroom type stuff.”
Mental toughness is going to be key in these matches, but physical toughness has also been a trend for the Bobcats this season.
Bowling Green currently holds an unblemished record at 12-0 and Miami sits at 9-5. Both know how to keep the pressure on their opponents.
“They obviously understand what it takes to score the final point. They have great wins over South Florida and Michigan State,” Theis said about Bowling Green.
Miami has been known to push matches deep to keep its chances alive.
“They were down 0-2 to Saint Louis University and pushed it to five,” Theis said. “Last year, we won the first set at their place, and they came back and won the next three. They may be the best team in the conference at continually coming at you.”
Bowling Green and Miami bring two different styles of play. The Falcons have shorter players, but they employ what Theis called “lightning arms” in that they still score a lot of points.
Miami has height across the board, so Ohio will have to find spots to get kills.
“(They are) very different teams but good in their own ways,” Theis said.
nr225008@ohiou.edu
UP NEXT:
Today
OHIO vs. Bowling Green
Saturday
OHIO vs. Miami (OH)
Both games at 7 p.m.
Convocation Center
