The system is efficient and logical, but when faced with stiff road trips such as this, can prove lethal.
The Penn State-Ohio State weekend could surely be counted as one of the more difficult journeys on the schedule. Travel partners Minnesota and Wisconsin also comprise one of the Big Ten's toughest trips.
"People coming here is also a tough trip," Penn State head coach Russ Rose said.
"Ohio State and Penn State are always tough for opposing teams because both teams have always been very competitive and when you have a competitive travel partner, it's an advantage to that. [As opposed to] if one is really good and one is not so good because then teams can focus on one not the other."
Both Penn State and Ohio State have impressive numbers in some areas. At one point this year Ohio State was ranked first nationally in hitting percentage and Penn State was second.
The two schools have four of the top 10 hitters in the conference in terms of kills per game in conference matches.
"Preparing for one good team is always tough," freshman outside hitter Megan Hodge said. "I know our first Ohio State [match], we were preparing all week. Coach had a whole bunch of stuff to need to know."
Hodge -- one of the main reasons Penn State is considered one of the good teams -- leads the Big Ten in kills per game (6.28) and points per game (7.18) in conference matches. She ranks third in aces per game (.44).
Making things all the more difficult for the visiting Michiganders, both Penn State and Ohio State have home football games this weekend -- homecoming for the Lions -- that always help to boost volleyball attendance. It'll help, of course, only if the Lions are playing well.
"It works to our advantage if we have a big crowd and we play well," Rose said, acknowledging that all the fans in the world won't matter if the his team doesn't play at a high level.
The Wolverines, who started the season ranked nationally, are around the middle of the Big Ten in most statistical categories. They're led by junior outside hitter Katie Bruzdzinski and sophomore middle hitter Beth Karpaik.
Similarly, the Spartans are around the middle of the pack statistically with junior outside hitter Katie Johnson leading.
But by the time Johnson and the Spartans make it to Happy Valley, they might already be beaten up from the experience in Columbus and a tough match against the Buckeyes.
"They need to prepare for a pretty big weekend," Harmotto said.
"They got two road tough road matches in some hostile environments."
