Ohio loses in the second "Battle of the Bricks" matchup in Oxford, but bounces back with a sweep over Bowling Green.
To relate the Bobcats' result Friday night to the latest hit by hip-hop mogul Drake, Ohio went “back to back.” But not in a good way.
"There's no denying it — our confidence took a major hit losing a week ago,” Ohio coach Deane Webb said of his team’s second-straight loss in the Mid-American Conference. “I felt tonight we would bounce back, mentally and emotionally, and we did not.”
The Bobcats were swept by their rivals, the RedHawks — 25-18, 25-16, 25-22 — in the second "Battle of the Bricks" matchup this season.
The loss marked the first time Ohio (20-5, 10-2 MAC) has lost back-to-back games in the MAC since Oct. 22, 2011 when it fell to Western Michigan and Northern Illinois.
The Ohio team, after starting 9-0 in the MAC, looked like it would sweep the entire conference as it did in 2014.
The loss of senior Kelly Lamberti, however, is finally starting to become evident. Ohio is lacking a go-to attacker to send tough passes to and focus the offense around.
In the loss to Miami, middle blocker Karin Bull, not normally known for her attacking prowess, led the team with only eight kills.
That top spot has begun to fluctuate among the Bobcats week in and week out. In last week's loss to Northern Illinois, Shelby Walker led Ohio with 14 kills.
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The quick losses in a row places the Bobcats in second place in the MAC standings. Although Ohio’s 10-2 record mimics that of Northern Illinois, the Huskies trump the Bobcats in the head-to-head category.
If there’s anything positive to take away from Ohio’s losses though, it’s that the Bobcats can rely on their seniors.
That’s exactly what Ohio did to sweep Bowling Green the following game from its setback against Miami.
"Tonight was a step forward and exactly what we needed,” Webb said of Ohio’s (25-18, 25-20, 25-20) bounce back. “I give credit to our seniors and team leaders for getting our team emotionally ready to compete.”
Ohio will continue to trust in the play of its possible MAC Player of the Year candidates Abby Gilleland and Meredith Ashy to be successful in its upcoming match ups with Kent State and Central Michigan.
@NKairys
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