Losing is an inevitable part of sports, but for Ohio, it has become a familiar feeling. Amid a five-match losing streak, Ohio is panicking as its season is quickly unraveling. Recent trends show that Ohio has some work to do to make the conference tournament.
One thing that has become clear during Ohio’s losing streak has been that it is not yet ready to compete with the elite. In its matches against VCU, Kent State, Michigan State, Ball State and Ohio State, Ohio has been outscored 18-6. That lopsided margin is due in large part to a 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Ohio State Sunday afternoon.
One way or another, Ohio has repeatedly found itself in situations where the matches are falling out of reach. Ohio has been able to compete in most games, but the next step is finishing the job and winning matches to move into the “elite” category both nationally and within the Mid-American Conference.
The most significant trend that can be noticed in the recent defeats have been in the lack of ability to close matches. In the matches against both Kent State and Michigan State, Ohio held leads but failed to add to them.
Ohio seemed content with avoiding mistakes offensively that could lead to an easy goal for their opposition. That strategy is not necessarily a poor one, but in matches where a team is an underdog, aggression is key to winning. Ohio played it safe until its passes became sloppy and the match was lost.
But the lack of aggression when leading matches is far from the only issue. Sloppy passing from the Bobcats has become a theme in their losses. In field hockey, passing is far from a sure thing, as controlling the ball is quite difficult, but many of the Bobcats’ recent opponents have found ways around that.
In nearly every match, the Bobcats gave up multiple opportunities in front of the net. They have not always led to goals, but forcing a goalkeeper to hold strong on a breakaway is a very tough ask.
The worst part of this issue for Ohio is that there is not a definitive answer for it. Ohio obviously can make it a point of emphasis to complete passes at a higher rate, but there is little that can be done until the match begins.
However, Ohio doesn’t need to make too many changes to turn its season around. The defense has held strong for the majority of the matches during the losing streak, with the exception of the match against Ohio State. But even a good defense can be beaten if the offense gives up too many breakaway chances for the opposition.
Ohio has made some huge strides this season. Unfortunately, those may not matter if the season ends on a sour note. Some teams simply play better when backed into a corner, and maybe Ohio can establish itself as one of those teams.
The remaining matches on its conference schedule are must-win in order to reach the conference tournament. Complete focus and sound fundamentals are going to be paramount if Ohio is going to be able to make its dreams into a reality.
