Ohio University’s women’s club basketball team is on the rise.
Up north there is a famous rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State that is referred to as the “Big Brother-Little Brother” matchup. In recent years a “Big Sister-Little Sister” situation has sprouted between Ohio and Ohio State for women’s club basketball.
“(Ohio State) always think they’re gonna beat us,” Jordan Elliott, who’s in her second year with Ohio, said. “I think it’s an OU thing. You just don’t like Ohio State.”
Team President Catherine Rachek and other members not only point to Ohio State as its biggest rival, but also as the subject of its favorite memory.
“Last year beating Ohio State at their tournament (was my favorite memory) because we’ve never beaten them before,” Rachek, who’s entering her third year with the team, said. “We came back from behind and showed them that we’re ready to play and ready to win.”
The Bobcats have came a long way since the 2013 season when they lost to the Buckeyes 65-10. The following year they would go on to defeat Ohio State in a close game that came down to free throws.
The game was “like a high school game," according to Rachek, and was something that would be used as a building block for the Bobcats in the rivalry.
“It brings you back to the high school feel. You’re not in a fully division one team where it’s 24/7, but it’s still competitive play,” Kalie Mascarello, who’s in her first year with the team, said. “It reminds me of high school, and you play with the same people every week, and I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”
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Ohio has been trending in the right direction in the past three years as each season has seen improvement from the previous ones. In 2013, the Bobcats won only three games the entire year. In 2014, the team saw a larger number in the win column, which included the victory over Ohio State.
So far this year the Bobcats have gone 3-1, 3-1 and 2-0 in their three tournaments to date. The team still has two more tournaments remaining.
This year also marked a first for the club as it hosted its first ever home tournament at Charles J. Ping Center. The one-day tournament was held Oct. 17 and featured four games. The Bobcats defeated Eastern Kentucky, Ashland and Dayton, but would go on to lose to rival Ohio State in the finals.
“Playing in Athens, having all our families and friends here was really cool,” Darbi Brewer, who’s starting her first year with the team, said. “It was an awesome atmosphere and seeing how excited everyone got during the Ohio State game.”
Though they may not be there yet, the Bobcats have made strides in recent years to match the Buckeyes in the budding rivalry and repeating 2014 is a goal for the entire club.
“This season has been our best year so far that I’ve been here,” Rachek said. “This is definitely the hardest working group and most focused group I’ve ever played with, and it’s just our best year so far.”
@Matt_Fout
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