For its final matches of the season, Ohio (14-13, 10-6 Mid-American Conference) will travel to Bowling Green to play Bowling Green (19-8, 14-2 MAC). After a strong victory against Buffalo, Ohio is sitting pretty at fifth in the MAC and needing a single victory to qualify for the MAC Tournament.
Bowling Green has made for a formidable opponent during MAC play, and jumping on early sets will be the golden ticket Ohio needs to continue. Here’s everything to know ahead of the weekend.
Series information
Opponent: Bowling Green
Location: Stroh Center (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Times: Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.
Where to watch: ESPN+
Follow live stats here.
History
The Bobcats’ last matchup with the Falcons ended in a loss, 3-1, however, Ohio leads in overall wins in its long history with Bowling Green. Having a total of 13 wins against Bowling Green’s nine, and with Ohio’s away record being one higher than Bowling Green’s, it would appear there is a long-standing advantage in store for Ohio. Even so, the Falcons’ current record threatens the end of the season for the team.
Player to watch: Lauren Hovey
Sporting No. 14 on the court, Hovey is Bowling Green’s 6-foot outside hitter and ace-in-the-hole. Leading in kills with 318 this season and in service aces at 48, her aggressive swing will be troubling for Ohio, especially on serve receive.
Ohio’s defense at the net and in serve receive will need to be top-notch to keep Hovey from running away with the match and potentially Ohio’s MAC Tournament appearance.
