Kent State University
University of Toledo
Golden Flashes Complete Road Stretch Against Toledo, Ball State
10/16/2014 8:29:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
KENT, Ohio โ The Kent State volleyball team (10-9, 2-4 MAC) strives to maintain its winning overall record and even its Mid-American Conference mark this weekend when it plays Toledo and Ball State. Seeking a winning season for the first time since 2007, the Golden Flashes have stayed above .500 ever since a season-opening loss to Mercer.
For the second straight week, Kent State will head to the northwest part of the state for a Friday matchup. The Flashes will play at Toledo (1-18) in a contest scheduled for 7 p.m. The team then heads to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State Saturday night. First serve of that match will also be at 7 p.m.
This is a pivotal weekend for Kent State, as it marks the halfway point in the conference season. The Flashes are looking to earn back-to-back MAC Tournament berths for the first time since the conference adopted the current format that features only the top eight teams. While two wins would go a long way in helping the Flashes in the conference standings, they need at least one win to keep pace with last season's team that tied for seventh-place with a 6-10 mark.
The road has not been kind to the Flashes, who are just 3-9 away from the M.A.C. Center and 1-5 in true road matches. Kent State is still looking to earn its first road victory in conference play. After a competitive four-set loss at defending MAC champion Ohio to get league play started, the Flashes have been swept in three straight road matches.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Fans can follow all of this week's action online, as both Toledo and Ball State will be providing live stats of the matches. Video streaming of each match is also available, but viewing requires the purchase of an all-access pass through each school's website. Our schedule page contains links to all of these pages.
Also, be sure to follow the Flashes on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as the Kent State Volleyball Blog.ย ย
LAST TIME OUT
For the first time this season, Kent State was unable to win a set in consecutive matches as the Golden Flashes fell to 2-4 in conference play with 3-0 losses at Bowling Green and Miami. It was a rough road trip for the Flashes on both offense and defense, as they hit just .118 as a team while their opponents hit at a .284 clip.
Senior middle blocker Liz Reikow was the leader for Kent State on both offense and defense. Reikow posted 15 kills with just two errors on 34 attempts for a .354 hitting percentage. On the defensive side, she added nine total blocks. Senior setter Jenny Buczek was the only other rotation player to hit at least .200 for the Flashes. Buczek had six kills on just 14 attempts for a .429 hitting percentage while also totaling 51 assists and five total blocks.
Kent State was out-dug by its opponents, 93-80, over the two matches. Libero Challen Geraghty continued her excellent freshman campaign by tallying a team-high 29 digs. Fellow freshman Kelsey Bittinger contributed 16 digs, while junior Sarah Mills and Buczek added 10 digs apiece.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
Toledo (1-18, 0-6 MAC) has lost eight consecutive matches. While the Rockets are the only team without a team in MAC play, they have shown improvement throughout the conference slate. After being swept in their first three matches, the Rockets went to four sets against Eastern Michigan and Ball State before going five with Akron last Saturday. Toledo lost the decisive final set of that match by a narrow 16-14 score.
The Rockets rank near the bottom of the MAC in nearly every statistical category. Toledo is last in hitting percentage (.127), opponent hitting percentage (.256), blocks per set (1.74) and service aces per set (0.84) while ranking 11th in kills per set (11.24) and assists per set (10.31)
Sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Ehrhardt is the top offensive weapon for the Rockets. Ehrhardt's 203 kills are nearly twice as many as her closest teammate and she is tied for fourth in the MAC with 3.41 kills per set in conference matches. Freshman libero Lauren Bakaitis ranks sixth in the MAC with 3.98 digs per set. Junior setter Alex Hines hands out 8.42 assists per set.
SCOUTING BALL STATE
Ball State (11-8,5-1 MAC) has won four straight matches with its only conference loss coming to Northern Illinois, which is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in MAC play. The Cardinals are 5-1 at home this season.
In league play, the Cardinals have proven to be one of the top offensive teams in the MAC. They rank third in kills per set (13.56) and fourth in hitting percentage (.239) and assists per set (12.69).
Ball State runs an offense that relies on it middles, asย Hayley Bensonย andย Kelly Hopkinsย have combined for 155 of the team's 339 kills in MAC. The duo has combined to hit .414 with Benson's .465 hitting percentage leading the MAC. Hopkins is hitting .356 in conference play to rank fifth. Benson was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season on Monday after posting a .569 hitting percentage with 30 kills in last weekend's wins over Toledo and Buffalo.
ALL-TIME VS. OPPONENTS
Kent State will look to even its all-time series with Toledo. The Rockets own a slim 29-28 advantage after winning the previous seven matchups. The Flashes last won a match at Toledo in 2006.
Although Kent State has not fared as well historically against Ball State (11-38), it has defeated the Cardinals more recently. The Flashes last defeated the Cardinals in 2009, their fourth consecutive victory in the series.
NEXT UP
Kent State is back in action at the M.A.C. Center, where it is undefeated this season, next weekend when it hosts Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. Friday's match vs. Northern Illinois is the Flashes' annual Dig Pink match to support breast cancer awareness.ย
