While it might not have the punch of the football rivalries, the Ohio State women's volleyball team will attempt to remain perfect with home matches against Michigan State and Michigan. The No. 8 Buckeyes (16-0, 6-0) hope to continue the team record undefeated streak as the Big Ten season hits the midway point.
The Buckeyes host the Spartans tonight at St. John's Arena at 7:00 p.m. The Spartans have been somewhat of a disappointment this season after being picked to finish No. 4 in the preseason Big Ten rankings.
Michigan State (6-8, 1-5) is struggling to find victories that could pose a problem for the Buckeyes. Last week OSU defeated another seemingly desperate team at Indiana.
The Spartans are trying to bounce back after setbacks last weekend against Michigan and Illinois. Similar to the Buckeyes, Michigan State is a team filled with young players.
Last season the Spartans swept the season against the Buckeyes winning both matches 3-1, however OSU leads 31-24 in the all-time match-up.
The Buckeyes aim to use a balanced attack against the taller Spartan squad.
"We need to try and pass well," OSU coach Jim Stone said. "We need to get everyone involved in the offense."
The Spartans are led by outside hitter Kim Schram, a senior from London, Ontario who is just the sixth player in school history to have over 1,500 kills. Schram, nominated to the 2003 All Big-Ten team, also leads the team in both kills and points.
The challenge doesn't stop there; tomorrow night, the Buckeyes will host Michigan at 7:00 p.m.
The Wolverines (14-3, 4-2) are one of the better teams in the Big Ten and are led by senior Jennifer Gandolph who is the school's record holder with 1,385 kills.
Similar to the situation OSU faces with Michigan State, the Buckeyes know they cannot look solely at Michigan's team record or ranking.
"I think they should be ranked in the top-20," said Stone. "We will have to play very well against them."
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