There has been quite a bit of talk about how even the playing field is this year in Ohio Valley Conference volleyball.

I didn’t know how accurate the statement was until Saturday’s match.

Top ranked Morehead State struggled mightily against Eastern in every game except the third game. And though the Eagles ended up defeating the Panthers, a few different plays could have resulted in a different outcome.

In statistical numbers, the match should have never been as close as it was. The game almost went five games. Eastern played well in the fifth game and won almost half the time, going 3-3 this season in five games.

Saying that, Morehead State also played an impressive game, showing just how aggressive it can be when it gets on a roll. The Eagles had many offensive runs in the game, their highest being in game three of Saturday’s match, when they had 12 straight points, essentially sealing their victory.

However, in the last week, some of the teams have begun to pull away, but there is still plenty of time left in the season for teams to turn around their season, considering all the OVC teams will play each other twice.

And though some of the teams – such as Morehead (6-0 OVC, 12-5 overall), Jacksonville State (5-1, 8-5) and Tennessee State (5-1, 7-8) – are pulling away from lower-ranked teams – like Eastern (1-6, 8-8), Tennessee-Martin (1-5, 7-9) and Eastern Kentucky (0-6, 1-15) – there remains a grey middle ground with five teams only a match or two apart.

Many teams at two or fewer losses still have a good chance at taking advantage of this even playing field.

In the OVC Tournament at the end of the season, the top six seeds will enter the final tournament out of 11 OVC teams.

Most of the teams at this point in the season have played between 15-17 matches, which still leaves enough time for any team to still be in contention – but the window of opportunity is closing fast.

The overall record will not help be that helpful unless it comes down to a tiebreaker situation, which would favor a team such as Eastern (8-8), Samford (8-7) or Tennessee-Tech (9-8) at the moment.

I mention all of this for a couple of reasons.

If the Panthers want to stay in contention for the OVC Tournament, they have to do a couple things.

One, Eastern has to win its next match this Tuesday because it will be the first rematch of the season against Tennessee-Martin, who previously beat the Panthers in five games. Two, Eastern has one of the best overall records despite its six-match losing streak. The only OVC teams ranked above Eastern with an overall record are Morehead State at 12-5 and Tennessee Tech at 9-8.

The Panthers, as well as other teams currently ranked toward the bottom, still have a legitimate chance to turn things around to qualify for the OVC Tournament, but time is becoming an opponent for all of the teams.

And the only solution to beating time in this case is obvious, yet simple.

Well, at least in writing it is.

Start winning now.