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Post by Bearkitten on Aug 22, 2022 8:53:05 GMT -5
The MAC will be playing in only one division this season the same way the MAC plays in women’s basketball. It will be a very competitive year in the MAC with a handful of schools having solid teams this season. In 2021, defending MAC West and East champions Ball State and Bowling Green will return the lions share of their line- ups and will once again battle for MAC supremacy. A year ago BSU shellshocked Big 10 opponent Michigan in the NCAA tournament and had a set 1 set point on Louisville in round 2. Below are a Kitten’s MAC predictions for 2022. 1. Ball State
2. Bowling Green
3. Toledo
4. Ohio
5. Western Michigan
6. Central Michigan
7. Northern Illinois
8. Eastern Michigan
9. Miami
10. Buffalo
11. Kent State
12. Akron
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Post by Bearkitten on Aug 24, 2022 11:10:35 GMT -5
The MAC released their pre-season coaches poll and I stand corrected as the MAC is once again playing in two divisions. I was told by a reliable source volleyball was going to play in one division like the Big 10 as well as MAC basketball. So here are Kitten’s divisional predictions. I once again plan on predicting every conference match where I have been able to pick over 80% of the MAC matches correct over the past 6 years. Here are Kitten’s predictions for 2022. West Division
1. Ball State
2. Toledo
3. Western Michigan
4. Central Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Eastern Michigan
East Division
1. Bowling Green
2 Ohio
3. Miami
4. Buffalo
5. Kent State
6. Akron
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Post by bigfan on Aug 24, 2022 11:39:32 GMT -5
Thanks Bearkitten, I love that you are representing the MAC here again on Volleytalk and keeping us up to date. So many teams, so many conferences, so little time |
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Post by bigfan on Aug 24, 2022 14:13:00 GMT -5
Bowling Green to win the conference
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Post by Bearkitten on Aug 24, 2022 14:53:24 GMT -5
Coaches predicting Bowling Green to win the MAC tournament was a mild surprise. Ball State returns 6 of 7 starters from their tournament championship team from a year ago. The key this year will be who hosts the tournament. BSU went undefeated all season in Worthen Arena and Bowling Green is always a tough bird to beat in their house of Stroh. Kitten gives the edge to the home team.
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Post by Mr. Ed on Aug 25, 2022 11:48:14 GMT -5
Will Bowling Green get their hearts broken again by Ball St?
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Post by macfan on Aug 25, 2022 12:43:17 GMT -5
Still wondering what happened to NIU. They were so strong not too long ago, maybe 2014-16 I think. Same head coach, many assistants have come and gone but dropped like a rock.
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Post by thevoiceofreason on Aug 25, 2022 12:57:52 GMT -5
Bowling Green is my pick for the league this year. They went toe-to-toe with Ball State last year and are returning just as much firepower. PLUS, I think the West is the more difficult division top to bottom.
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Post by Bearkitten on Aug 25, 2022 13:03:04 GMT -5
Bowling Green is my pick for the league this year. They went toe-to-toe with Ball State last year and are returning just as much firepower. PLUS, I think the West is the more difficult division top to bottom. You could flip a coin at this point between Ball State and Bowling Green. However, over the past dozen years, Ball State has dominated Bowling Green. |
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Post by Bearkitten on Sept 22, 2022 12:22:07 GMT -5
MACtion begins tonight and what a season it’s going to be! In the MAC West, Ball State (8-4) is the heavy favorite, but Toledo (7-4), Central Michigan (7-4) and Western Michigan (8-4) will wager a tremendous battle for 2nd place. Northern Illinois (7-3), under veteran coach Ray Gooden, is improved from a year ago, but will occupy the 5th spot while Eastern Michigan (1-11), is building for the future behind their star middle attacker Raven Chase. In the MAC East, Bowling Green, despite a 5-6 record, is the team to beat while Ohio University (6-5) will finish runner up. The Bobcats played the toughest pre- conference schedule along with Bowling Green and Ball State. The surprise team in the MAC has been Kent State’s glossy 9-2 record, however the Golden Flashes schedule has been very average. Same with Buffalo who enter the MAC season with an 8-4 record with no marquee wins. Miami (5-6) may spill the beans with a few upsets and actually could finish as high as 3rd despite a very mediocre pre conference performance. Akron (3-7) is clearly the bottom feeder in the MAC East and under new Zip management in 2022. There is only one match tonight to begin the MAC season. Nearly 85% of Kitten’s predictions have been correct over the past 6 years. Here is Kitten’s pick for Thursday. Toledo over Eastern Michigan 3-0.
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Post by Bearkitten on Sept 23, 2022 10:10:11 GMT -5
Opening night in the MAC went true to form as Toledo swept Eastern Michigan 3-0. The Rockets behind the heavy hitting of outside banger Taylor Alt, dominated sets 1 and 2 before Coach Darcy Dorton’s Eagles found their groove in set 3 and led most of the way before succumbing down the stretch. 6 matches on the MAC docket this evening including a EMU- Toledo rematch. 5 of the matches are MAC season openers. Here are Kitten’s MACtion picks for Friday: Toledo over Eastern Michigan 3-1, Ball State over Central Michigan 3-1, Northern Illinois over Akron 3-0, Ohio over Miami 3-0, Bowling Green over Kent State 3-0, Western Michigan over Buffalo 3-1.
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Post by Bearkitten on Sept 24, 2022 7:31:13 GMT -5
Kitten struck gold predicting 6 of 7 MACtion matches correctly Thursday and Friday only missing Central Michigan’s stunning upset over MAC defending champion Ball State 3-1. The Chips put together one of the finest matches if not the finest during the Mike Gawlik era and proved they can defeat the top team in the MAC. The other near upset came in Kent, Ohio where the Golden Flashes of Kent State nearly took MAC East powerhouse Bowling Green to 5 sets. BG fought off a set point or two in set 4 to win in overtime and take the match 3-1. Rematches are set for tonight. Here are Kittens picks for Saturday. Bowling Green over Kent State 3-2, Western Michigan over Buffalo 3-2, Ball State over Central Michigan 3-0, Ohio over Miami 3-1, Northern Illinois over Akron 3-0.
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Post by Brutus Buckeye on Sept 24, 2022 7:42:41 GMT -5
Bearkitten rules.
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Post by Bearkitten on Sept 25, 2022 22:58:10 GMT -5
Had it not been for Central Michigan fighting off 3 match points, Kitten would have been perfect in predicting all MAC matches correctly Saturday. Hats off to Mike Gawlik and his Chippewas for upsetting the defending MAC champion Ball State Cardinals on back to back nights and winning with a reverse sweep Saturday in Mount Pleasant. The Cardinals went 17-1 a season ago in the MAC and graduated only one outside attacker. The Chips entered the weekend 7-4 on the season playing all of their matches on the road. CMU will contend for MAC West supremacy this year with a very balanced offense, excellent defense and outstanding lefty freshman setter. Despite the gut wrenching losses for Ball State, the Cardinals will still be in the hunt for the championship with their stellar ball control and defense. The MAC West is a loaded division with 5 teams that will be especially tough to beat on their home court. The team that can win on the road will win the MAC West championship. The MAC East will come down to Bowling Green and Ohio. Kent State and Buffalo will battle for 3rd while Miami will secure 5th place and Akron is already looking towards next year. Kitten finishes week one with a 10-2 record only incorrectly predicting both Ball State losses to the upstart Central Michigan Chippewas.
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Post by asthma92 on Sept 26, 2022 14:42:49 GMT -5
I really hope Kent State and Toledo can fight to make this conference great again. Buffalo and Miami have a great shot at creating some upsets. Fair to say the future is bright.
Not to digress too much, but it will be interesting to see who decides to utilize their COVID year at their respective institution or leave…
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