The women’s volleyball team is still fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The tournament consists of 64 teams, 31 of which get automatic bids from their conference tournaments.
The remaining 33 seeds are selected by a committee.
Coach Geoff Carlston said that the team is still trying to build the best possible resume because the selection committee can be unpredictable.
The Buckeyes are coming off of their second win over Indiana on the season, after defeating the Hoosiers 3-1 last Friday.
Kristen Dozier recorded a team-high 15.5 points against the Hoosiers.
However, the Buckeyes fell to Purdue 3-1 Saturday night after what appeared to be a dramatic comeback in the third set.
Setter Betsy Hone notched a team-high 27 assists for the Buckeyes against Purdue.
Just as Carlston predicted, Katie Dull continued her streak, after breaking 1,000 kills two weeks ago. She had a match-high 19 kills to add to her resume.
The Buckeyes are fifth in the Big Ten with a 10-8 record. Carlston credited the young team’s athleticism for remaining a top contender in the conference.
The Big Ten and the Pac-10 have remained the top two volleyball conferences. The Big Ten has four teams in the AVCA Division I Top 25. Minnesota is the only ranked team the Buckeyes defeated, 3-0.
The women’s volleyball team ends regular season play this weekend with home matches against Michigan and Michigan State.
The Buckeyes first face the Wolverines.
In their first rivalry matchup earlier this season, the Buckeyes fell to the No. 11 Wolverines 3-1. Since then, the Wolverines have slipped to No. 12.
Carlston emphasizes that his players will have to keep defensive strategies strong against the Wolverines.
The Buckeyes then challenge Michigan State, who they previously defeated 3-1 in East Lansing. Michigan State remains unranked.
This weekend is the most crucial of the entire season. If the Buckeyes win both matches this weekend, they have the opportunity to bump Michigan from their No. 4 spot in the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes take on Michigan 7 p.m. Friday. With a quick turnaround, the Buckeyes face Michigan State 7 p.m. Saturday. Both matches will be played at St. John Arena.
