Ohio (2-12, 0-2 in the Mid-American Conference) returns to the Convo after nearly a month on the road for a two game set this weekend. Ohio will face off against Akron (7-6, 0-2 in the MAC) and Buffalo (3-8, 0-2 in the MAC). Ohio struggled mightily on its road trip, finishing with a record of 1-10 when playing on the road. Ohio also got off to a bad start in MAC play, as it dropped both games against Bowling Green and Toledo last weekend. Ohio does have a chance to right the ship though, as it is a much better 1-2 when playing at home because it is able to feed off of the energy that the fans bring to the Convo.
For the positives, Ohio’s freshman class has continued to develop and carve out roles on the team. Ohio was able to keep the sets somewhat close despite losing both games with a score of 1-3, but Ohio will need to clean up its sloppy play if it wants to win this weekend.
Game 1 Info:
Opponent: Akron
Date and Time: Oct. 3, 6 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ohio
Outside of games against MAC opponents, Akron has been a very solid team holding a 7-4 record. When you add those MAC games in though, it suddenly becomes a 7-6 record, teetering on the edge of a losing record. It was able to take Miami to a fifth set but lost by six points in that set, being unable to close out the game after trading sets with Miami. Against Ball State, Akron struggled a lot more. It was only able to take a single set, the third one, and Ball State cleaned them up right after that. Ball State does have a winning record when playing away at 3-1, so they are a proven threat on the road.
Game 2 Info:
Opponent: Buffalo
Date and Time: Oct 4, 4 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ohio
Similar to Ohio, Buffalo has had a rough season. Also 0-2 in the MAC, Buffalo is currently on a five game losing streak. Buffalo has not been able to win a set against a MAC opponent this season, a shocking statistic, and one that should give the advantage to Ohio. Buffalo also hasn’t won a game on the road this season, with all of its wins coming from playing at home. Another surprising statistic is that this team hasn’t won a set since Sept. 14, half a month ago. Buffalo has struggled mightily, as has Ohio, and both teams desperately need a win.
Players to Watch:
On Friday night against Toledo, junior Olivia Gardner was a standout performer for the Bobcats, scoring four points off of serves while also contributing 12 kills. In total, Gardner contributed 12.5 points, leading her team in that category. Fellow junior Emily Waddell also made big contributions against Toledo, being responsible for 10.5 points. Waddell also had four points off of serves, while having eight kills of her own. Look for these two players, along with the whole Ohio team, to make impactful plays against Akron and Buffalo this weekend.
