Ohio will look to bounce back from loss to Purdue in a Tuesday night battle against nationally ranked Kentucky.
When asked to describe what is special about his team, coach Deane Webb responded by applauding his players’ togetherness, cohesiveness and sense of family.
After losing in three straight sets to Purdue, it is Webb’s hope that Ohio can stick together as much as last season.
In Tuesday’s matchup, Ohio (2-1) will face Kentucky (3-0), the No. 15 team in the nation. If the Bobcats are to win, togetherness will play a huge factor.
“I’m glad that that cohesion (within Ohio) is transferring into teaching and is transferring into younger players understanding, ‘No, we’re not just going to play these teams, we want to beat them. And if we don’t, we’re all going to be upset about it,'" Webb said.
While the opening weekend was not a complete success for the Bobcats, they have a few positives to cling on to as a unit.
Senior Shelby Walker and redshirt freshman Katie Nelson were named to the 2015 All-Mortar Board Premier Team.
Walker emerged as a worthy fill-in at the final outside hitter spot alongside attack leader sophomore Jaime Kosiorek.
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Ohio's young talent has gelled nicely into the team, creating an instant impact despite routine jitters that normally come in the first few starts of a player’s collegiate career.
Over the three-game series against Purdue, freshman libero Erica Walker contributed a total of nine defensive digs and six service aces, while freshman outside hitter Stephanie Olman tallied five kills.
Nelson, Ohio’s 6-foot-4-inch middle blocker, also made her collegiate debut and added an impressive mix of kills and blocks.
Ohio isn't the only team with solid young players. Kentucky beat No. 19 Michigan State and Kentucky's young guns led the way in that five-set win over Michigan State.
Kentucky's sophomore Kaz Brown posted a 20-kill evening, which dubbed her the first Kentucky middle blocker with 20 or more kills in a match since 2007.
The Wildcats sophomore libero Ashley Dusek made program history that night as well, amassing 34 digs, the most ever in a five-set match in Wildcats history in the 25-point rally-scoring era.
“They have some younger kids out there,” Webb said. “But they’re really long and really athletic. They’re 15th in the country for a reason.”
Chemistry is central to this Ohio team, something that thoroughly failed them in the last two sets against Purdue, and they will need all that they can muster to beat Kentucky.
“As you start to get fatigued, those things really matter, in the way that you communicate and the way you improve, and then you turn around and play great opponents at home,” Webb said.
“I think this is the time of year that it may matter as much as any, at least for the next couple of months.”
The Bobcats travel to Lexington to play the Wildcats (3-0) in a 7 p.m. game that will air on WatchESPN.
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