The last time the Bobcats took the field, they played for the right to play in the Mid-American Conference championship game.
This time, the Bobcats have a chance to make coach Neil Macmillan the winningest coach in school history. With just two more victories, Macmillan will enter the Ohio record book forever.
But the Bobcats will open up their 2016 season with a pair of games over the weekend against two familiar foes standing in their way.
On Friday, Ohio will play Saint Francis (PA), this time in Athens, as the two teams met a year ago to open up Ohio’s season in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Sunday, the Bobcats play Indiana, a team they lost to two years ago at home.
Ohio and the Hoosiers have had similar lead ups to their seasons thus far. The Bobcats had a preseason matchup with No. 12 Louisville and then an intrasquad scrimmage three days later. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers had a scrimmage of their own and will open their season Friday when they play host to those same Cardinals.
Ohio will look to repeat the success of last season despite two key players graduating, Adele Sammons and Clarissa Leickly. The duo led the way for the Bobcats offensively in four offensive categories – assists, points, shots and shots on goal – in 2015.
Junior Maria Russell will return for the Bobcats this year after leading the MAC in goals a season ago with 12. Russell also received First Team All-MAC honors last year. Sophomore Kendall Ballard will look to improve on her impressive campaign after being named Second Team All-MAC a season ago.
This year the road to the MAC championship will go through Kent State, as it will host the tournament as defending champions. The Golden Flashes knocked the Bobcats out of the tournament a year ago, ending the Ohio’s hopes for a MAC championship.
Ohio plays Friday at Pruitt Field at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.
