After losing to No. 9 Illinois, No. 17 Ohio State looks to get back on the winning side in women’s volleyball when the team plays Michigan on Saturday.
But coach Geoff Carlston may consider his program already on a winning streak as the program added two scholarship athletes for the 2015-2016 season.
The Buckeyes (18-9, 9-6) received National Letters of Intent from Taylor Hughes, a six-foot-one-inch setter from Carroll, Ohio, and Megan Wickey, a six-foot-two-inch outside hitter from Omaha, Neb.
Wickey joins sophomore setter Maggie Heim as the other women’s volleyball player to come from Omaha.
Carlston was unavailable for comment during Friday’s practice. The Wolverines (11-14, 6-9) have lost six of their last seven matches, including five-set matches losses to the then No. 10 Fighting Illini and No. 4 Wisconsin.
But losing six of their last seven games doesn’t seem to bother all the Buckeye players, like senior setter Taylor Sherwin.
“I just think we need to bring our ‘A’ game,” Sherwin said. “Like everyone says, (the) Big Ten conference, you never know what you’re gonna get each weekend.”
Sherwin is one of four senior Buckeyes to be playing in their final Ohio State vs. Michigan game, and she plans on treating it like any other game.
“I think it’s a bittersweet feeling with every gym I go into, knowing I’m not going back in there,” she said.
Junior outside hitter Elizabeth Campbell said that the team is motivated for this game because it’s a rivalry game and because of how the Wolverines have performed at Cliff Keen Arena this season.
“Any rivalry is game is slightly different, just because of what exists between the two teams,” Campbell said. “They’re going to be a good team — talking about (how) they’ve taken (the Fighting Illini and Badgers) to five sets, we do need to take things seriously.
She added that being aggressive on offense and defense is something that must carry over into Ann Arbor, Mich., like they did against the Fighting Illini on Wednesday.
The Wolverines will be led by Big Ten Setter of the Week, senior Lexi Dannemiller, a native of West Chester, Ohio. She leads the Big Ten in assists averaging 11.5 per set.
Following their game against the Wolverines, the Buckeyes will come back to Columbus for their final three home games of the regular season. Their scheduled to play Iowa (13-13, 5-10) Wednesday and the No. 4 Badgers (23-2, 14-1) Friday. Both matches are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
