Kent State University
Ashland (Exhibition)
Flashes Travel to Ashland for Saturday Exhibition
8/19/2017 10:46:00โฏAM | Women's Volleyball
The Kent State volleyball team will play an exhibition match at Ashland at 5 p.m. Saturday.
The Golden Flashes are 10 practice days into preseason camp, and the exhibition will provide an opportunity to simulate playing against another team in an unfamiliar environment.
Kent State returns 13 letterwinners from last year's team. Two-time All-MAC First Team honoreesย Kelsey Bittingerย andย Challen Geraghtyย lead a strong senior class.ย Brittney Jakschtย has appeared in 248 sets for the Flashes to provide a veteran presence at the setter position, while classmatesย Amber Gerdemanย andย Heather Younkinย look for build off breakout seasons.
Gold earned a 3-1 victory in the annual Blue and Gold Scrimmage. Seniorsย Kelsey Bittingerย (12 kills, 16 digs) andย Brittney Jakschtย (40 assists and 11 digs) recorded double-doubles. Sophomoreย Ashley Makruskiย led all players with 21 kills and redshirt sophomoreย Darby Connors got added 16 kills.
Defensively, seniorย Challen Geraghtyย led all players with 17 digs. Senior Heather Younkin (14), juniorsย Sam Jonesย (13) andย Lexi Mantasย (12), sophomoreย Claire Tulisiakย (13) and freshmanย Kaeleigh Stangย (12) also notched double-digit digs.
Younkin had a contest-high six blocks, while Jakscht and freshman Naomi Oberg registered five and four stuffs, respectively.
Ashland was 23-11 season and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball tournament in 2016. The Eagles were picked to win the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference South Division by conference head coaches and have 10 returning players. Outside hitterย Shelby Woycik, was an All-GLIAC honorable mention selection and sophomore middle blocker/outside hitterย Sophi Cudworth was named to the NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament Team.
Kent State opens the regular season at the Cyclone Invitational Aug. 25-26 before returning to the M.A.C. Center for the Golden Flashes Classic the following weekend (Sept. 8-10).
Be sure to follow Kent State Volleyball onย Twitter,ย Instagramย andย Facebookย for news and updates about the squad.
