COLUMN: Don't worry about recent volleyball struggles

Things have taken a turn for the volleyball team after a five-match winning streak and leading the Mid-American Conference West Division.

Central Michigan has lost three-straight matches and has fallen to No.3 in the MAC West after loses to Bowling Green, Buffalo and Akron.

Fans shouldn't worry though.

CMU lost five of its final six matches to end the regular season in 2011 and turned out just fine by getting hot at the right time and winning the MAC Tournament Championship.

The team's upcoming schedule is a tough one. They travel to Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan, but if they can steal a couple of road wins in the coming weeks, it could turn the momentum back around.

CMU also has the advantage of having its final three MAC games at home, which will help it going into the MAC Tournament, and that’s what the season is all about.

The Chippewas proved last season that it doesn’t matter how you get into the tournament or what seed you are. All that matters is how you end the season.

These past few weeks, CMU has not fared well.

It was upset by a Bulls team that only had one win in the MAC at that point. It lost a winnable game on the road against the Zips, it lost a battle of two MAC leaders with the Falcons and struggled to beat Ball State and Toledo.

Despite the team’s recent downward trend, I believe things can and will turn around for the Chippewas. They aren’t the only team coming off a tough weekend. Junior setter Kelly Maxwell said last week anything could happen in the MAC and that was proven this week.

Anyone can beat anyone right now. Buffalo proved that to CMU. Kent State beat the Huskies and Broncos, and the Cardinals beat BGSU – all of which could be considered upsets.

“But that’s just the MAC,” Maxwell said.

The Chippewas have proven they can beat any team in the MAC and, if they can turn around the recent trend before the MAC Tournament, you can be sure you'll see them playing come Nov. 18.