Ohio State faces rival Michigan for first offseason matchup

Ohio State junior setter Mac Podraza (10) celebrates during Ohio State-Penn State game Nov. 21, 2021. Ohio State won 3-0. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Asst. Photo Editor

After a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament during the 2021 season, the Ohio State women’s volleyball team has once again taken the court to hone its skills heading into next season.  

The Buckeyes embarked on the beginning of a four-game spring competition session Saturday against Michigan in their first offseason matchup. Following the Michigan scrimmage, the Buckeyes still have matchups with Pittsburgh, Dayton and West Virginia across the month of April. 

“We have four dates in the spring that we’re able to compete,” head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg said. “I like to use it and bring in a single opponent and scrimmage a little bit in the morning, like drills and things like that, things you’re working on.”

Junior setter Mac Podraza said the matches are used to gauge the team’s ability at this point and identify what areas need improvement.

“These games don’t count for anything. It’s just a good game to see where we’re at in the season, see where we’re looking heading into the fall and try out some new lineups,” Podraza said.

Podraza said one of the main improvements she and the team want to make this offseason is prioritizing blocking.

Offseason matchups are something the Buckeyes have not seen in a while because of the pandemic, and Oldenburg said some players might not know what a normal offseason feels like. 

“I think our team was a little bit unsure what it looked like going in because no one’s gone through it,” Oldenburg said. “They’re a little bit nervous going into the spring, like, ‘What is this going to be like? How hard is it going to be?’ All the things that your head is spinning.”

Despite those worries, Oldenburg said she’s confident her team can work past some of the struggles that come with the offseason.

“I’ve been excited about their ability to allow themselves to be bad, which is part of the learning process, and just rebuild their skills in order to get better,” Oldenburg said. 

As the Buckeyes squared off with their bitter rival Saturday, Podraza pointed to the value of playing a conference opponent during this developmental session. 

“You don’t usually see a spring matchup with another Big Ten team, so it’d be cool to get a feel for how they’re playing, how we’re playing and kind of get to battle against each other while kind of training together in our gym,” Podraza said.

The Buckeyes’ next match is at the University of Pittsburgh Saturday.