Kent State University
Bowling Green State University
Volleyball Looks to Find Success on the Road Against BG, Miami
10/9/2014 5:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State volleyball team begins a four-match road trip this weekend when it visits Mid-American Conference East Division foes Bowling Green and Miami.
Kent State (10-7, 2-2 MAC) evened its MAC record by defeating Akron and Buffalo at the M.A.C. Center last weekend. The Golden Flashes will look to carry over that momentum against the Falcons on Friday before heading down to Oxford to play the RedHawks on Saturday. First serve for both matches is scheduled for 5 p.m.
The Flashes continue to soar under third-year head coach Don Gromala and can match their win total from last season by coming away with two victories. Additionally, wins in both matches would give Kent State a 4-1 record against MAC East schools after the first time through its divisional schedule.
While Kent State is undefeated (6-0) at home this season, it has not had as much success on the road. The Flashes, who are just 1-4 in true road matches, lost matches at Ohio and Eastern Michigan to open their MAC schedule two weeks ago. Bowling Green and Miami are just 2-7 combined at home this season.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Fans can follow all of this week's action online, as both Bowling Green and Miami 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.
REIKOW, WILHELM SWEEP MAC EAST WEEKLY AWARDS
Middle blocker Bridget Wilhelm was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week after posting 23 kills (3.29 kills per set) and hitting .526. She sparked the Golden Flashes' offense with a season-high 14 kills on 20 errorless swings to match her career-high .700 hitting percentage against Akron. Wilhelm followed that performance with nine kills and a .333 hitting percentage against Buffalo. She added six blocks (1 solo, 5 assists) for the weekend. This is the third time in her career that Wilhelm has been named Offensive Player of the Week after being honored twice a season ago. The junior from Euclid, Ohio leads the Flashes with a .287 hitting percentage and is second on the team with 56 total blocks.
Middle blocker Liz Reikow was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 13 blocks (1.86 blocks per set) over the two matches. Led by Reikow, the MAC's top blocking unit averaged 2.86 blocks per set and limited its opponents to a .124 hitting percentage. After a six-block performance Friday against Akron, Reikow added seven blocks against Buffalo on Saturday. This is the first time the 6'6" senior from Holland, Mich. has received Defensive Player of the Week honors, but was named Offensive Player of the Week once a year ago. Reikow is second in the MAC this season with 1.17 blocks per set. She ranks fifth in Kent State history in total blocks (297) and solo blocks (63) and seventh in block assists (243) and blocks per set (0.85)
LAST TIME OUT
Kent State used dominant defensive performances to end a five-match skid last weekend. The Flashes rallied from six points back late in the fourth set to defeat rival Akron, 3-1, on Friday and used the momentum gained from that victory to take care of Buffalo in straight set, 3-0, on Saturday. Kent State did not allow either team to hit better than .180 and averaged 2.86 blocks per set as a team over the two matches.
Senior outside hitter/opposite Lauren Engleman led the Flashes offensively in both matches. Engleman posted 15 kills, four total blocks (1 solo, 3 assists) and 17.5 points against the Zips. The next night, she totaled 10 kills, three block assists and 11.5 points against the Bulls. Junior middle blocker Bridget Wilhelm added 23 kills and hit .526 over the two matches.
Senior setter Jenny Buczek provided a spark off the bench on both offense and defense for the Golden Flashes. The Kent State offense did not skip a beat upon Buczek's entrance early in the third set against Akron, as she led the team to consecutive set victories and totaled 20 assists, two kills and five digs. The following night, Buczek recorded a career-high six stuffs at the net to go with 30 assists, four digs and three kills.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green (3-13, 0-4 MAC) has opened conference play with four consecutive losses and has won just once in its last 10 outings. After not winning a set in their first two MAC matches at Buffalo and Akron, the Falcons went to four sets with Miami last Friday and pushed Western Michigan to five sets on Saturday.
One of the nation's youngest teams, the Falcons have 11 players who are either a freshman or sophomore on their 13-player roster. That youth and inexperience has led to offensive struggles for Bowling Green, which ranks near the bottom of the MAC in kills per set (10.73) and hitting percentage (.153). The Falcons are 3-0 this year when hitting at least .200 and 0-13 when they fail meet that mark. Freshman outside hitter Nicole Slimko leads the team with 3.44 kills per set. Senior setter Erica Fullenkamp runs the offense and averages 8.71assists per set.
Bowling Green's defense is led up front by Kelsey Bates and Alyssa Mahoney. Bates leads the way with 70 blocks and Mahoney adds 51 blocks for a unit that averages 2.23 blocks per set. Sophomore libero Madeline Garda leads the back row with 3.98 digs per set and is coming off a career performance of 29 digs against Western Michigan on Saturday.
SCOUTING MIAMI
Miami (9-7, 2-2 MAC) has split each of its first two weekends to open MAC play. The RedHawks have wins over Akron and Bowling Green and losses to Buffalo and Northern Illinois.
The RedHawks feature a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging at least two kills per set. Freshman outside hitter Olivia Rusek leads the way with 2.90 kills per set. Jenny Ingle and Paige Hill form one of the MAC's top attacks in the middle and average 2.45 and 2.22 kills per set, respectively. Ingle leads the conference with a 4.02 hitting percentage and Hill is hitting .349 to rank third. Junior outside hitter Annie Reiswig contributes 2.09 kills per set.
Senior setter/right side hitter Meg Riley possesses a unique skill set that allows her to remain on the court at all times and can cause trouble for opposing defenses. Riley averages 5.73 assists, 2.24 kills and 2.71 digs per set.
Freshman defensive specialist Maeve McDonald carries a 4.19 digs per set average to pace a defensive unit that leads the MAC in digs per set (16.53). Sophomore outside hitter Maris Below adds 2.40 digs per set. Hill leads the defensive effort at the net with 1.00 block per set.
ALL-TIME VS. OPPONENTS
Kent State has not fared well historically against either of this weekend's opponents. The Flashes are 21-50 all-time against Bowling, including six straight losses. The last victory over the Falcons was a 3-0 sweep on November 12, 2010.
The Flashes are 17-54 all-time against the RedHawks. The schools have split the season series each of the past three years,
NEXT UP
Kent State will go on the road for the second straight week with matches at MAC West school Toledo and Ball State on October 17-18.
