Ohio heads into Mid-American Conference play with injuries up and down the lineup.
The injuries have forced the Bobcats to play a young team, with players in different positions to make the shortened bench work.
In the Bobcats game against Ball State on Sept. 23, no fourth year senior was on the field. Ohio started four, first-year players –– who scored all three goals in the overtime win.
“A lot of them trying to learn, very quickly what systems we’re trying to run,” said coach Neil Macmillan. “From a gameplay situation, it’s been a very quick learning curve for all of them.”
The seven players in their first season will have to step up, as senior Kristen Buchanan sat out last game with an injury, as well as leading goal scorer Kendall Ballard, who left the game in overtime with an injury.
The Bobcats finished non-conference play 3-6, but finished the schedule with a win over Ball State, a conference foe, even though the game did not count for conference play.
Ohio will host Central Michigan (1-8) on Sept. 30 to start conference play before Missouri State (1-6) travels to Athens on Oct. 7. Ohio will look to continue their strong play against their first two opponents, as they have a 40-25 series record against Central Michigan and 24-10 against Missouri State.
