Ohio has had to deal with adversity and minor setbacks this season, but the Bobcats have handled it well and can still potentially become the No. 1 seed for the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
The Bobcats (20-4, 10-2 MAC) didn’t take a straight path to where they are now, taking a couple lumps along the way.
Dealing with injury
After injuries to junior outside hitters Chelsea Bilger and Kelly Lamberti on Sept. 6 and Oct. 19, respectively, the Bobcats have had to function without two of their top players.
“Going into August you don’t anticipate an ACL (injury) from a returning veteran player, and you don’t anticipate your other veteran going out on an ankle (injury) and missing time throughout the middle of the season,” said Ohio coach Ryan Theis.
Since injuring her ankle, Lamberti has racked up 39 digs and 29 kills on 77 swings in three matches. Theis said that Lamberti is a weekend of play away from being close to 100 percent.
Compared to the MAC
Even though they have two blemishes on their MAC schedule, the Bobcats have dominated the division. Four different players have received player of the week awards, for a conference-best eight total honors.
In conference play, the Bobcats rank within the top three in the MAC in every statistical category. They also have six different individuals ranking in the top ten in the MAC in individual categories.
Sophomore setter Abby Gilleland ranks second in the MAC in hitting percentage (.353) and third in assists per set (10.79) during conference play, while graduate student middle blocker Alexis Pinson sits at second in the conference in blocks per set (1.49) and fourth in hitting percentage (.346).
“If you have balance, and someone’s having an off day, you can always go to someone else,” Liis Kullerkann, a redshirt junior outside hitter, said. “If someone’s being stopped by the opponent, then having balance helps you keep scoring.”
The Bobcats aren’t focused only on the MAC East title—which they can clinch this weekend—because the new MAC Tournament format gives no benefits to divisional champions.
The team is driven to win the MAC, though, because that would secure them a No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament, as well as make them the host for next year’s conference tournament under a new MAC rule.
“Winning the MAC is without question a huge motivating factor for us right now,” Theis said. “(The players) all want a ring and all want to say that they are MAC champions. Motivation isn’t a problem with these guys.”
ab109410@ohiou.edu
@Alex_Busch91
