We were hoping for some help, but Ball didn't come through --- the Cards went 0-2 over the weekend.

Pre-season prognostications had Ohio winning the East (which we have), and Northern winning the West (they can if they beat Western on Thursday).

Looking like the top four seeds for the MAC Tournament will be:

1.  Northern/Western winner

2.  Northern/Western loser

3.  Ball

4.  OHIO

We have shown flashes of what we can be, but as Borna said on another thread, it will come down to consistency -- which we've been lacking of late.

That we could go 13-3 and be a four-seed says something.  This is very doable; yes we went 0-3 against the top three seeds, but two of those three matches were on the road.  Our record in the MAC Tournament is not too shabby...

Need to finish strong and build some momentum going into the tournament.

LET'S GO CATS!!

 

I was only presenting the most likely scenario... the possibility that either Western or Northern lose both of their last two games is highly unlikely.

As far as our matches with Kent and Central, we saw two different Bobcat teams in each game:  the team that started the match and the team that ended the match.

In each match we started off slowly, and almost emotionless.  We did not look like we were having fun out there.  In fact, both Kent and Central looked like they were having a lot more fun than we were.

Volleyball is an emotional game.  I know it seems weird to watch players jumping around after every point, but that's volleyball.  With all the stops and starts, you have to keep the emotion rolling.   I would argue that if we had come out at the beginning of each match with the same emotion we ended with, neither match would have  gone five -- and we likely would have swept both.  If you combine emotion with our talent, we are one tough team to beat.

It's a simple formula, really:

1.  If we come out fired up and excited, that results in more talking and communication on the court.
2.  More communicating results in more movement.
3.  More movement improves the defense, resulting in more digs and more blocks.
4.  Digs and blocks are great plays that serve to frustrate the other team and ignite our offense.

We've all seen it -- you work to get a good attack, your attacker blasts it, and by all rights it should hit the floor -- but then the other team brings it back up and you start over again.

Nothing will show me that we are ready for the MAC Tournament more than two decisive sweeps this week.  Zippy's season is over after this week, and the Beefs are on life support.   We can pull that plug.

LET'S GO CATS!!!

Got some help Thursday night as Eastern beat Ball in 4.

Two wins this weekend gets us at least a three-seed...

Unfortunately, rooting for Miami is something that most on this board would find very distasteful, Granddad...we would prefer to root against Miami's opponent...but even that isn't very palatable...

Don't think it matters much between the 2 and 3 seed. Still, let's finish on the highest note possible.