Kent State Volleyball Drops Three-Setter To Western Michigan
10/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Krupa totals team-high nine kills and adds two blocks.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Kent State volleyball dropped a 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-16) decision to Western Michigan in a Mid-American Conference interdivision match Saturday (Oct. 22) at University Arena.
The Golden Flashes (8-17, 1-9 MAC) lost their fifth straight match.
Junior Kathy Krupa (Burbank, Ill.) recorded a team-best nine kills and added two blocks (two assisted). Freshman Jenny Buczek (Orland Park, Ill.) tallied a match-high three blocks (three assisted) in addition to reaching double digits in set assists for a second straight match with 11 and posting a team-high eight digs. Sophomore Aleksandra Nowak (Damnica, Poland) led the squad with 18 set assists.
The Flashes were unable to complete a late rally in the first set. Two kills apiece by Krupa and Buczek and one each freshman Lauren Engleman (Cincinnati, Ohio), senior Maigan Larsen (Lancaster, Wis.), freshman Maddie Davis (Chillicothe, Ohio) and freshman Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola (Ellicott City, Md.) helped Kent State jump out to a 13-10 advantage. Two kills and a Kent State error allowed Western Michigan (19-5, 8-2 MAC) even the score at 13-all. Two kills by Krupa, one by Davis and a service ace from freshman Bridget Grdina (Mentor, Ohio) helped the Flashes trade points with the Broncos tied the set at 17-all. Western Michigan responded with a 7-3 run to push Kent State to set point at 24-20. The Flashes refused to go quietly, though, taking advantage of a kill by Engleman, a double block by Krupa and Buczek and a Western Michigan error to pull within a point. That's as close as Kent State got, though, as a kill by the Broncos put the hosts up 1-0 in the match.
Western Michigan won the match with a five-point triumph in the second set and a nine-point victory in the third.
Western Michigan sophomore Ali Gossen tallied a match-high 12 kills. Senior Ashley Turnage and junior Jessica Brown joined her in double figures with 11 apiece. Freshman Kaycee Acree totaled a match-best two service aces. Sophomore Lena Oliver led the way on the defensive end with a match-high 12 digs. She was joined in double digits by redshirt freshman Terin Norris, who totaled 11 and also led the match with 39 set assists.
Kent State's five-match road trip continues next weekend with two MAC East battles, taking on Bowling Green Friday (Oct. 28) and Miami Saturday (Oct. 29).
