Kent State University
Mercer University
Golden Flashes Open 2014 Volleyball Season at CofC Invitational
8/28/2014 5:19:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Kent State volleyball team travels south to begin its 2014 campaign this weekend (Aug. 29-30) in Charleston, S.C. The Golden Flashes are scheduled to play three matches over two days at the CofC Invitational.
Third-year head coach Don Gromala and the Flashes look for a winning opening weekend for the first time since 2010 when Kent State took two of three matches at the Spartan Classic in Norfolk, Va.
The Flashes will play Mercer at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and return to action for a pair of Saturday contests. After an early 10 a.m. match against Davidson, Kent State will conclude the weekend against host College of Charleston Saturday night at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Fans can follow all of this weekend's action, as live stats will be available courtesy of CofCSports.com. There will also be a live video stream of Kent State's weekend finale against the host Cougars Saturday night, which can be viewed here.
Also, be sure to follow the Flashes on Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout the team's trip.
SEASON OUTLOOK
Head coach Don Gromala has raised the bar for his program in each of his seasons in Kent, and this year is no different. After getting a taste of playing in the Mid-American Conference Tournament last November, Gromala and his Golden Flashes aim for more than a one-day stay for this year's tournament in at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio from Nov. 21-24.
After establishing a foundation for the future of Kent State volleyball in his first two seasons, Gromala enters the 2014 campaign with one of the most experienced clubs in the MAC. All nine letterwinners who return from last season are seniors and juniors, including four starters and another player who started during the 2012 season.
Seniors Kaylee Koller, Liz Reikow and Jenny Buczek will be looked upon to provide leadership on and off the court. Koller and Reikow were named as team captains at the beginning the spring season, and Buczek was added as a captain during preseason camp.
The most experienced, and perhaps deepest, group of Flashes is at middle blocker. Reikow (2.23 kills per set, 85 blocks, .303 attack percentage) and junior Bridget Wilhelm (1.85 kills per set, 90 blocks) are the only two players that started every match last season. Reikow was one of two players to appear in all 115 sets, while Wilhelm appeared in 114 sets. The duo provided the Flashes with terrific offensive play and their 468 kills rank second among returning middle blocker combos in the MAC. Sophomore Drew Norberg, who received the team's Most Improved Award last season, and freshmen Amber Gerdeman and Heather Younkin provide Kent State with the most depth it has had at the position since Gromala's arrival.
Gromala called the team's defensive specialists its most-improved unit a season ago, and the development of Koller (2.52 digs per set) and junior Sarah Mills (2.27 digs per set) was a big reason for that. Koller more than doubled her dig output from the previous season and was second on the team behind graduated libero Hannah Herc. Mills finished the season strong and averaged nearly one more dig per set in MAC play than in non-conference contests. Junior Alexis Rains and sophomore Maddie Moxley also return in the back row, while freshman Challen Geraghty will be in the mix for playing time immediately.
Junior Kelly Hutchison (2.65 kills per set) and senior Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola (2.44 kills per set) lead a talented group of pin hitters. Hutchison led the Flashes in kills a season ago and her 176 digs were second among non-back row players. After posting a team-best 3.06 kills per set in 2012, Aderemi-Ibitola was sidelined with an injury for the first month of the season a year ago. She led the team's pins with 2.49 kills per set in league play and looks to return to her 2012 form in her final season. Senior Lauren Engleman (2.01 kills per set) has shown improvements in each of her season as a Flash. Engleman will look to continue her strong play at the end of last season when she averaged 2.71 kills per set during November. Junior Morgan Semmelhack and freshman Kelsey Bittinger, a local product from Strongsville, round out the group.
The trio of Buczek, sophomore Payton Moore and freshman Brittney Jakscht will look to replace Aleksandra Nowak at the setter position. Buczek, who is the only player with college experience, saw action in 28 sets last season. In 2012, however, she split setting duties with Nowak for much of conference play and tallied 4.35 assists and 2.53 digs per set with five double-doubles over the final 12 games. Moore gained valuable experience during the spring season and Jakscht is one of the Flashes' most heralded recruits in recent years.
RECRUITING CLASS EARNS RECOGNITION
Kent State's 2014 recruiting class was ranked among top 100 in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com, an honor the program had not received since 2007. Gromala expects the quartet of players—Kelsey Bittinger, Challen Geraghty, Amber Gerdeman, Brittney Jakscht and Heather Younkin—to have an immediate impact by adding depth at every position and helping create a competitive atmosphere in practices. Both Bittinger and Jakscht were regarded among the top 250 recruits by PrepVolleyball.com, while Jakscht received the Andi Collins Award as the nation's top senior setter.
SCOUTING MERCER
Mercer was picked to finish eighth of nine teams in the Southern Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll and looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2013 season (1-27) that ended with 26 consecutive losses. The Bears have nine letterwinners and four starters back from last season's squad, led by right side hitter Caroline Carlton (2.70 kills per set) and outside hitter Molly Locke (2.65 kills per set).
SCOUTING DAVIDSON
Entering its first season in the Atlantic 10, Davidson was picked to finish ninth of 10 teams in the preseason coaches' poll. The Wildcats look to continue the momentum generated at the end of last season when they closed with victories in four of the final five matches to post a winning season (16-14) for the first time since 2006. Setter Mikayla Drochie (10.12 assists per set) was a Southern Conference All-Freshman Team selection a year ago.
SCOUTING COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
An NCAA Tournament participant in each of the past two seasons, College of Charleston was picked as the favorite to win the Colonial Athletic Association after receiving six of nine first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll. The Cougars return four players from last season's squad that finished with a 25-6 record. Right side hitter Sloane White (2.58 kills per set, 3.09 attack percentage) was an All-CAA First Team honoree a season ago. Right side hitter Cara Howley (2.27 kills per set, 3.13 attack percentage) and outside hitter Melissa Morello (2.41 kills per set) were second and third team All-CAA selections, respectively.
ALL-TIME VS. OPPONENTS
This weekend will mark the first time Kent State meets Davidson and College of Charleston on the volleyball court. The Flashes are 2-0 in previous matches against Mercer, both 3-0 sweeps. Kent State earned victories over the Bears in Kent during the 1997 season and in Bowling Green, Ky.
UP NEXT
Kent State will open its 11-match home schedule at the M.A.C. Center when it hosts Evansville, Morehead State and New Hampshire for the Hampton Inn Golden Flashes Classic on Sept. 5-6.
