Coach Erik Olson not satisfied with first-place volleyball team

The volleyball team is at the halfway point of its Mid-American Conference schedule and is sitting atop the MAC West Division standings.

Erik Olson

However, head coach Erik Olson said in the press conference, following Central Michigan’s loss to Bowling Green Saturday, he didn’t like the direction his team was heading.

Despite the two wins last weekend against Ball State and Toledo, he felt the team was grinding and trending down.

“We were playing some good volleyball three weeks ago,” Olson said. “Even through (we had) a 2-0 weekend last weekend, I didn’t like how we were playing.”

At 12-7, Olson said there’s room for improvement for the defending MAC champs.

“I’m pleased with the overall of where we lie at the halfway point,” he said. “But I would like to see us pick it up a couple notches.”

CMU will need to pick it up on the road next week against Buffalo and Akron, two teams with losing records in the MAC, before the final six matches of the MAC regular season.

The Chippewas have a five-match road trip ahead and will travel to Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan following their matches against the Bulls and Zips.

CMU finishes the regular season at home against Ohio, Toledo and Ball State.

“We don’t have a chance to take a breath of fresh air,” Olson said. “Next week is a great opportunity to find our groove and really lock in on it.”

At the beginning of the season, many would’ve looked at the upcoming weekend against Buffalo and Akron as two chalked-up wins, and that might still be the case.

But after a tough loss at home and hard road test ahead, it’ll be interesting to see how CMU will bounce back on the road.