The Kent State volleyball team will play matches at Mid-American Conference leader Ball State on Thursday and Friday as the final month of the season begins. First serve from Worthen Arena is scheduled for 6 p.m. both days.
PREVIEWING THE FLASHESThe Golden Flashes (13-11, 4-9 MAC) split a pair of contests at the M.A.C. Center last weekend, taking down Northern Illinois, 3-0, and then falling to Western Michigan, 3-1. Kent State limited mistakes, committing a season-low six attack errors against the Huskies and posting a .296 hitting percentage over the two matches. Senior Morgan Copley led the offense with 23 kills and freshman Mia Soerensen added 21 kills and a .463 hitting percentage.
The Flashes' depth has been on display during the opening month of the season, with five players totaling six MAC East Division Player of the Week awards. Graduate student Alex Haffner has won MAC East Division Setter of the Week twice with graduate student Erin Gardner (defensive), senior Gracey Jarecke (defensive), senior Savannah Matthews (offensive) and freshman Mackenzie McGuire (offensive) each earning a selection.
Matthews has been a productive six-rotation contributor with averages of 3.13 kills and 2.68 digs per set. The outside hitter is one of only six student-athlete in program have record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs during her career. McGuire is top among MAC freshmen with 3.01 kills per set. The 2021 Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year has recorded double-digit kills in 14 matches, including back-to-back 24-kill performances against Murray State and Charleston Southern en route to MVP honors at the Marshall Invite.
Graduate student Danie Tyson, Kent State's all-time hitting percentage leader (.306), is hitting at a .318 clip to rank sixth in the conference. The middle blocker is also sixth in blocks per set (1.06), and her 393 career rejections ranks third in Flashes history.
Haffner is averaging 9.05 assists per set, which ranks sixth in the MAC. She has totaled 1,144 digs in a Kent State uniform, passing Stephanie Doran the program's record by a setter last month in a victory at Miami.
Gardner leads the team with 3.90 digs per set and became the third member of Kent State's 2,000-digs club at Buffalo on Oct. 21.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Cardinals (19-6, 11-2 MAC) have won 11 in a row after dropping their first two conference games to Central Michigan. Ball State ranks third in the country in digs per set (17.72) and among the top-50 in hitting percentage (.255) and kills per set (13.88).
Setter Megan Wielonski is No. 4 in the nation in total assists (1,052) and No. 18 in assists per set (10.85). Middle blocker Marie Plitt is 14th in the nation with a .402 hitting percentage and has a team-high 247 kills. Outside hitter Cait Snyder leads the Cardinals with an average of 3.13 kills per set.
UP NEXT
Kent State will host Toledo for Senior Weekend at the M.A.C. Center on Nov. 11-12.
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