On the surface, it looks like the volleyball team has been struggling. The Bulls have gone 2-4 in their last six games and made 31 more errors than their opponents during that span.
But Buffalo's (9-9, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) performance last game says otherwise.
Last Saturday, the Bulls upset MAC powerhouse Bowling Green (15-2, 2-2 MAC) on the road. Buffalo played arguably its best volleyball of the year, hitting a season-high .289 against the Falcons.
The Bulls need to be just as efficient when they face Kent State (8-11, 1-3 MAC) and Ohio (12-6, 4-0 MAC) at Alumni Arena this weekend.
Kent State
The Golden Flashes have the least impressive record of the four MAC opponents Buffalo will face at Alumni Arena in the next two weeks. In addition, Kent State is last in the MAC in hitting percentage (.137) and kills (129) in games against conference opponents.
However, Buffalo has put up relatively weak efforts versus the Golden Flashes in recent years. The Bulls are 1-3 against Kent State since 2009.
Kent State's ace is hitter Maigan Larsen. She accounts for 36 percent of the team's kills. Larsen's 46 kills rank her fifth in the league.
Buffalo will play against Kent State on Friday at 7 p.m.
Ohio
Buffalo has the misfortune of going against a thriving Ohio team this Saturday in more than just football. The Bobcats are riding on a six-game winning streak and have won 23 straight sets against MAC opponents.
The Bobcats are the three-time defending MAC champions and are currently on top of the conference standings. Ohio leads the MAC in hitting percentage (.270), opponent hitting percentage (.116), and blocks (41) when playing against conference opponents.
They also return nine players from their previous championship season. Hitter Kelly Lamberti is the most lethal of the bunch; she leads the team with 176 kills. Blocker Katie Post seconds Lamberti with 163 kills, and Post leads the team with 105 blocks. Lamberti and Post are both fifth in the conference in points (47.5).
Buffalo has historically struggled against the Bobcats. The Bulls have only defeated Ohio twice since the Bulls joined the MAC in 1999. Ohio also swept Buffalo in last year's MAC quarterfinals.
The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
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