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MEAGAN HALL
MEAGAN HALL
08.24.17
Fresh off a season in which the Bobcats couldn’t make a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the team will now look to make it two trips in three years.
With a mix of proven, seasoned talent and bright, vibrant youth, the Bobcats will look to find the right chemistry on the court to find success.
Team captains Katie Nelson and Jaime Kosiorek led the team through the offseason trying to speed the process of helping young players gain more experience and ensuring the team is the right page.
Teaching those young players the culture of the volleyball program at Ohio will be a task that coach Deane Webb will attempt to accomplish during his fourth season in Athens.
Lauren Bacho | FILE
Ohio setter Katelyn Burke celebrates with her teammates during the Ohio vs FGCU match on August 27, 2016.
“We expect (the freshmen) to learn how to follow,” Webb said. “Learn the culture and learn what it takes to be a successful collegiate athlete.”
The newcomers on the team not only have to buy into a new culture, but they must also learn how to play at the college level.
Learning on the fly isn’t easy, though. Last season, Webb’s squad got off to a slow start due to multiple injuries. Webb hopes to avoid injury struggles this year and start with better results. He wants his team to peak right around conference play but start playing well before the conference tournament.
It’s a balance that is hard to find, but it’s a goal that has been set.
Part of hitting that stride is getting better every week. As cliché as it sounds, Webb wants to see his team not repeating the same mistakes, but instead correcting them and making new mistakes, all while improving.
Scheduling will play a role in that balance as well. Last season, the schedule made for some tough weekends and some very easy weekends, Webb said. This season is much different.
“I think we have a little more balance throughout each weekend,” Webb said.
The even weekends will give the Bobcats a chance to not get too high, but not get too low, either.
Keeping level will be key, Webb said.
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This story is part of a series of specially designed stories that represents some of the best journalism The Post has to offer. Check out the rest of the special projects here.