Just four weeks into the season, freshman Jenna Green is already comfortable with the Bobcat system.
She said she's ready to begin Mid-American Conference play, which kicks off today with a home game against Central Michigan, before a trip to Kent State on Sunday.
Everyone has allowed that transition from high school to happen
Green said, referring to her teammates. They made it really easy for us. And our schedule has prepared us for these in-conference games.
Green, along with fellow field players and freshmen Brooke Edwards and Laine Greenawalt, has seen significant time during Ohio's 2-5 start.
Edwards started four games and saw action in seven. She is the only freshman to attempt a shot. Green also started one game, and Greenawalt has seen time in four games.
Coach Neil Macmillan said he's been pleased with how his young players are coming along.
The three of them as a class are having an impact on us now he said. They've all come on and learned the system by now and really that's the key.
We're not a team based on individuals or a certain game plan. We change it up on a regular basis, but if you can understand the overall system, you're going to be fine.
One first-year player
however
must wait in the wings for the chance to prove herself. Goalkeeper Jen McGill is currently backup to 2007 MAC Player of the Year Jessie Martin along with sophomore Courtney Seiders
but Macmillan said he was optimistic about her opportunity to make a difference next season.
I think her and Courtney are going to offer us two very different styles of goalkeeping, he said.
The Bobcats enter today's contest against the Chippewas with a significantly different win-loss count than last season
when the squad went on to win the MAC regular season and tournament championships. Ohio was 5-3 before its first conference match-up with Ball State in 2007
but Macmillan said he isn't concerned about his team's ability to compete with the other MAC schools.
As a team, we're very much winners, Macmillan said. We're very, very competitive. We just haven't had the right break on a couple of occasions. We could be 5-2 right now if a couple of those games go the other way.
Ohio will look to improve upon a somewhat stagnant offense. Through seven games last season
the team had notched 18 goals as opposed to the seven points accumulated this year. Green pointed out scoring as a key to taking down Central Michigan and the Golden Flashes.
Finishing on goal, she said when asked what the Bobcats should focus on. Make sure we get it in the circle and score some goals.
