The Ohio volleyball team will finish up its five-match road stretch this weekend at Mid-American Conference opponents Toledo and Bowling Green.
Ohio (13-2 overall, 5-0 MAC) is currently leading the MAC East Division and is riding a seven-match winning streak. Toledo (12-4, 2-4 MAC) and Bowling Green (11-7, 4-2 MAC) place fifth and third, respectively, in the MAC West Division.
Both teams are very athletic and well coached, Ohio coach Geoff Carlston said.
These are two big matches on the road for us
he said. We want to come out of our five-game road stretch 5-0.
To prepare for these matches, Ohio is focusing on each team separately but is continuing to work on passing, blocking and serving. The team's goal is to out-dig and outplay its opponents defensively.
Our main goal is to pick up our defense and stay strong offensively against these teams outside hitter Julia Winkfield said.
The Bobcats will play the Rockets tomorrow. Toledo is averaging 2.2 blocks, 13.1 assists, 14.4 kills and 14.4 digs per game.
Carlston said the team will have to play solid defense and out-dig Toledo to come out of the match with a victory. The Rockets have been out-digging their opponents consistently this year.
Outside hitter Kate Bean and middle blockers Kelsey Culver and Corrie Magnus will be key players to stop during the match.
Ohio will then take on the Falcons Sunday. Bowling Green is averaging 2.5 blocks, 14.8 assists, 15.9 kills and 18.3 digs per game.
The Bobcats will need to stop Falcon middle hitters Stephanie Swiger and Taylor Twite, who was named MAC West Division Player of the Week Monday.
The team will be working on some new offensive plays for the matches this weekend.
We always want to bring in offensive plays our opponents haven't seen from us Carlston said.
If the Bobcats take both matches this weekend, they will take a dominant lead in the MAC East Division and continue the best start in program history.
Ohio will play Toledo at 5 p.m. tomorrow and travel to Bowling Green for a 2 p.m. Sunday match.
We are just going to go out and play our game like we know how
libero Michaele Blackburn said. We can't take anyone lightly.
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