Kent State Volleyball Hits the Road to Continue MAC Play
10/10/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Golden Flashes to play pair of road matches this weekend against MAC West foes.
The Kent State volleyball team will head back on the road for a pair of Mid-American Conference matches this weekend after being home at the M.A.C. Center for its last three contests.
A trip to Muncie, Ind. will get the weekend started as the Golden Flashes take on Ball State (9-10, 2-4) Friday (Oct. 12) at 7 p.m. The Flashes will return to the state of Ohio on Saturday (Oct. 13) as they visit Toledo (7-11, 1-5) for a 5 p.m. contest.
The weekend will conclude the first half of the MAC schedule for first-year head coach Don Gromala and the Golden Flashes (5-13, 2-4), who currently are tied for the final bid to the conference tournament. A pair of wins this weekend would create separation from the teams beneath them in the standings and could also help them later in the season in the event of a tie.
Kent State enters the weekend with an all-time record of 10-36 against Ball State and 24-26 against Toledo.
For live updates from this weekend's matches, follow the Flashes on Twitter @KentStVball. Live stats will be available for both matches.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, Oct. 12 | 7 p.m.
Ball State
Follow Live: Live Stats
Saturday, Oct. 13 | 5 p.m.
Toledo
Follow Live: Live Stats
Flash Facts
- Outside hitter Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola (Ellicott City, Md.) had a strong performance in the Flashes' win over Buffalo a week ago. The sophomore posted 20 kills, including 10 in the second set, and a .333 hitting percentage in the 3-1 victory over the Bulls. On the season, Aderemi-Ibitola leads the team in kills per set (3.13) and points per set (3.46).
- Kent State recorded 21 blocks last weekend, equaling the most over a two-game span this season. Senior middle blocker Kathy Krupa (Burbank, Ill.) posted six total blocks in both of last week's matches and averages a team-leading 0.95 blocks per set this season. Freshman Haley Schneider (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and sophomore Liz Reikow (Holland, Mich.) added seven blocks and six blocks, respectively.
- After matches with 10 digs against Buffalo and 13 digs against Akron, junior defensive specialist/libero Hannah Herc (Eden, N.Y.) has now recorded double-figure digs in 11 of the last 13 matches. Herc's 3.74 digs per set lead the team this season.
- Sophomore Jenny Buczek (Orland Park, Ill.) played one of her best matches of the season and showed her versatility with a double-double against Buffalo. Buczek recorded a career-high 12 digs and her 16 assists were one shy of matching her season-high. She also added an ace.
Scouting Ball State (9-10, 2-4)
- Ball State went 7-6 in the non-conference portion of its schedule and opened MAC play with wins over Toledo and Akron. Since then, the Cardinals have lost four straight matches and enter the weekend tied with Kent State for final spot in the MAC Tournament.
- Senior middle blocker Lisa Scott was named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week after posting 3.89 kills per set and a .567 hitting percentage last weekend. Scott finished with a career-high 17 kills in the loss to Central Michigan and then bested it with 18 kills in the loss to Eastern Michigan. On the season, Scott is hitting a team-leading .348 and is second with 2.85 kills per set.
- Senior outside hitter Kara Bates is the top hitter for the Cardinals, ranking third in the conference in kills per set (3.93) and second on the team in hitting percentage (.270).
- Junior setter Jacqui Seidel is 30th in the nation with 11.20 assists per set. She recorded 104 assists during the Cardinals' two matches last weekend.
- Junior defensive specialist Catie Fredrich is the top defensive player for Ball State. Fredrich averages 4.83 digs per set for the season.
Scouting Toledo (7-11, 1-5)
- Toledo has also lost four straight matches. The last victory for the Rockets came on September 22 over Buffalo, which is also their lone conference win of the season.
- Junior middle blocker Dakota Harkins leads Toledo in hitting percentage (.300) and blocks per set (1.03), is second in points per set (2.93), and third in kills per set (2.31).
- Junior outside hitter Lauren Rafdal posts a team-leading 2.95 kills per set and 3.12 points per set on the season. Rafdal blasted 25 kills, equaling her career-best, and recorded a career-best 17 digs in a loss to Eastern Michigan last weekend.
- Junior setter Adria Pryor ranks seventh in the conference in assists per set (9.85).
- Senior libero McCall Paynter leads Toledo with 3.87 digs per set on the season.
Next Up
Kent State returns to the M.A.C. Center for a five-match homestand beginning with Western Michigan and Northern Illinois next weekend (Oct. 19-20).
