Volleyball season begins in West Lafayette, Indiana against Austin Peay, VCU and Purdue.
Deane Webb walked away from his team’s ‘Green and White’ scrimmage Saturday with a list of items he felt his players need to improve on.
Getting motivated to begin the season in Indiana this weekend at the Mortar Board Premier tournament was not on that list.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="8d6d10b6-4ce2-11e5-ad34-afbd4291146e"}}
“I think it’s just the time of year that every team faces,” Webb said. “You’re just tired of playing each other. You just want to go play someone else. Every year that I’ve done preseason, there just comes a time where we’re like, ‘Alright, that’s enough, let’s go play somebody.’”
Coming off an undefeated season in Mid-American Conference play, and with five of seven starters returning, Ohio is ready to live up to expectations.
“What I love right now about our team, is that I know without a doubt, we’re better top to bottom than we were a year ago,” Webb said.
Austin Peay on Friday at 4 p.m.
Though Ohio did not pay much attention to Austin Peay’s 14-19 record last year, the Bobcats are familiar with how the Governors play.
“I know them pretty well,” Webb said. “I’ve been in the same conference they were. Their coach has a daughter that my daughter played on the same club team with.”
It will be convenient for Webb to know some tendencies of Austin Peay, as the Bobcats will play the Governors for the first time in program history Friday.
Virginia Commonwealth University on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Ohio faces off against VCU to begin its doubleheader on Saturday, as the Rams completed their 2014 season with an overall record of 17-13.
Once again, Webb and his players will be somewhat familiar with an opponent this weekend. The Bobcats and Rams have split victories against each other over the past two years.
VCU edged Ohio 3-1 in the final game of the season in 2013, but in last year’s Bobcat Invitational, the Bobcats dominated play with a 3-0 rout of the Rams in a match highlighted by graduated senior Kelly Lamberti’s 15 kills.
Purdue on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
“And then, of course, Purdue,” Webb said of the anticipated last matchup of the weekend. “A big opportunity against a Big Ten opponent we’re looking forward to.”
Last season, Ohio made a statement beating in-state foe Ohio State 3-1 in Cincinatti. The team also battled Northwestern later in 2014, but lost a match-point opportunity in the game and fell, 3-2, to the Wildcats.
A conference full of talented volleyball teams, the Big Ten poses a major opportunity for the Bobcats to boost their RPI. The Bobcats also face Michigan this season.
@NKairys
nk596613@ohio.edu
