Kent State University
Ohio University
Kent State Looks to Punch Ticket to MAC Volleyball Tournament on Final Weekend of Regular Season
11/13/2013 1:32:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State volleyball team controls its own postseason destiny heading into the final weekend of the regular season. The Golden Flashes (12-15, 6-8) can clinch the No. 7 seed in next weekend's Mid-American Conference Tournament at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva by winning one of it final two matches.
The Flashes will have the opportunity to punch their ticket to Geneva in a televised match at MAC East champion Ohio Thursday evening. The match will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel at 7 p.m. Kent State defeated the Bobcats, 3-1, back on Oct. 10. Ohio entered the M.A.C. Center as the nation's No. 18 team, giving the Flashes their first-ever win over a ranked team. Sophomore opposite Kelly Hutchison turned in one of the top offensive performances in the MAC this season by totaling 22 kills and a .333 attack percentage. Kent State will look to sweep Ohio for the first time since the 2001 season.
After an off day, the Flashes will return home for the regular season finale against Eastern Michigan. A Senior Night ceremony will be held following the match to recognize senior captains Hannah Herc and Aleksandra Nowak, who will be playing at the M.A.C. Center for the final time.
Kent State has struggled in road matches this season (2-9), and that continued last weekend as they lost to both Miami and Bowling Green. The crowds at the M.A.C. Center have proved to be a homecourt advantage, as the Flashes are 7-3 in home contests.
With a one-match lead over Central Michigan for seventh and a two-match lead over Buffalo and Eastern Michigan for eighth entering the weekend, the Flashes are in a good position to continue their season even if they are unable to get a victory this weekend. Be sure to follow @KentStVball throughout the weekend for updates on the team's MAC Tournament status.
Flash Facts
- A Senior Night ceremony will follow Saturday night's match to honor S Aleksandra Nowak and DS/L Hannah Herc.
- Nowak has 3,288 assists in her career as a Golden Flashes, which ranks fourth all-time. She is having the best season of her career and ranks fifth in the MAC with 9.94 assists/set.
- Herc ranks third on Kent State's all-time digs lit with 1,245 and has put together one of the best seasons ever at her position. She currently has 437 digs on the year, which is the fifth-most by a Golden Flash in a season, and needs just 19 to move up to third on that list.
- Sophomore OPP Kelly Hutchison leads the team with 2.71 kills/set and 3.11 points/set on the season, while junior MB Liz Reikow has posted a team-best 2.60 kills/set in MAC play.
- Junior OH/OPP Lauren Engleman has emerged as one of the Flashes' top offensive options in recent weeks. Engleman has posted double-digit kills in four straight matches, including a career-high 17 at Miami last Friday night.
Scouting This Week's Opponents
Ohio (22-4, 12-2)
- This will be the 65th all-time meeting between the schools, with Ohio leading the series 41-23.
- The Bobcats clinched the MAC East Division last weekend by defeating Miami on Saturday and enters on a six-match winning streak.
- Ohio ranks in the top 50 nationally in blocks (14th), hitting percentage (33rd) and digs (40th), while leading the MAC in hitting percentage (.258) and blocks (2.83/set).
- Graduate MB Alexis Pinson leads a tough defense at the net with a MAC-best 1.38 blocks/set and also ranks second in hitting (.350).
- Junior OH Kelly Lamberti leads the Bobcats with 3.10 kills/set, which ranks eighth in the conference.
Eastern Michigan (14-15, 4-10)
- This will be the 46th all-time meeting between the schools, with Eastern Michigan holding a 31-14-1 advantage in the series.
- The Eagles will need to win both of their matches this weekend in order to have a chance of qualifying for the MAC Tournament.
- Serving and back row defense have been strengths for Eastern Michigan this season, leading the MAC in both categories.
- Sophomore L Corynne Smith ranks 17th in the nation and third in the conference with 5.34 digs/set.
- Sophomore OH Stacey Perinar leads the attack for the Eagles with 2.59 kills/set.
