Volleyball Opens 2010 Season at Spartan Classic
8/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The 2010 Kent State volleyball season gets underway with the Spartan Classic this weekend (Aug. 27-28) in Norfolk, Va.
The Golden Flashes open the program's 36th campaign against Providence College (11 a.m.) and UNC Greensboro (5 p.m.) Friday, then close out the tournament against Navy (10 a.m.) and host Norfolk State (4 p.m.) Saturday.
The Flashes welcome back 10 letterwinners and four starters, plus the libero/defensive specialist.
LOOKIN' IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR
The Golden Flashes came slow out of the gate in '09, dropping their first seven matches. The squad's toughness was put to the test, and KSU responded by winning 14 of its final 24 regular season matches -- including an 11-4 midseason stretch -- to finish third in the Mid-American Conference East Division and earn the right to host a MAC Tournament First Round match. Along the way, Kent State won the Raider Challenge hosted by Wright State and successfully defended its home turf in the Kent State/Mizuno Open for two tournament championships on the year, finishing the season with a 14-17 overall mark (7-9 MAC).
IN THE BEGINNING…
KSU is 12-23 in 35 season opening matches. The Flashes are looking to win their first lid lifter since 2007 when KSU came away with a sweep at Iona, 3-0, on Aug. 24.
TOURNAMENT TIME
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITIONAT THE SPARTAN CLASSICFollow the Spartan Classic live here. |
Providence College FriarsAll-Time Series: Kent State leads, 1-0. Last Meeting: The Golden Flashes downed the Friars, 3-1, in the University of Maine Tournament on Sept. 6, 2008. Head Coach: Margot Royer-Johnson 2009 Overall Record: 10-16 2009 Conference Record: Independent |
UNC Greensboro SpartansAll-Time Series: First meeting. Head Coach: Patrick Nicholas 2009 Overall Record: 17-14 2009 Conference Record: 9-7, Southern Conference |
Navy MidshipmenAll-Time Series: First meeting. Head Coach: Mike Schwob 2009 Overall Record: 8-21 2009 Conference Record: 3-11, Patriot League |
Norfolk State SpartansAll-Time Series: First meeting. Interim Head Coach: Brandon Duvall 2009 Overall Record: 9-22 2009 Conference Record: 3-5, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference |
Kent State is coming off two straight regular-season tournament titles in 2009, capturing the Raider Challenge crown and successfully defending its home turf in the Kent State/Mizuno Open.
Several Flashes also turned in strong individual efforts in Kent State's four regular season tournaments in '09:
•Junior Liva Brivule (Riga, Latvia) earned Raider Challenge MVP honors after totaling 40 kills and 47.5 points, including 19 kills and 23 points vs. Evansville on Sept. 12.
•Sophomore Meredith Paskert (Brecksville, Ohio) garnered selection to the IPFW Invitational, Raider Challenge and Kent State/Mizuno Open all-tournament teams. She posted a team season-high seven service aces to go along with 14 kills and a season-high 21.5 points in her collegiate debut vs. Eastern Illinois on Aug. 28 in the IPFW Invitational, recorded a season-high nine blocks (two solo, seven assisted) vs. Evansville Sept. 12 in the Raider Challenge and tallied 31 kills and 36.5 points in three matches in the Kent State/Mizuno Open.
•Senior Lauren Jones (Kentwood, Mich.) made the Kent State/Mizuno Open All-Tournament Team after accumulating a season-high 16.5 points and 13 kills against Butler on Sept. 19 as well as posting a career-match high .591 hitting percentage against the Bulldogs.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON IT
Three Golden Flashes will have the opportunity to move up Kent State's career records list as seniors in 2010:
•Kristen Barr (Bowling Green, Ohio) ranks second on the school's career records list in digs per set with 3.34
•Celia Sabo (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) ranks fifth on the school's career records list with 0.86 blocks per match.
•Jones ranks fourth on the school's career records list in aces per set with 0.41 and 10th on the school's career records list in kills per set with 2.31.
MR. 400
Fourth-year head coach Glen Conley became a member of the 400-win club on Nov. 14, 2009, at Miami with a 3-0 sweep of the RedHawks.
The seventh head coach in program history, Conley has compiled a record of 49-45 (21-27 MAC) during his tenure with the Flashes and owns an overall career mark of 400-227 in 20 years of coaching collegiate volleyball.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Flashes open their home slate of matches by welcoming Pittsburgh to the M.A.C. Center
Tuesday, Aug. 31, for a 7 p.m. non-conference battle.
