Kent State University
7-6
Coppin State University
0-14
Several Flashes Set Career-Highs in Five-Set Victory
9/17/2016 8:13:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MOREHEAD, Ky. – After winning all six sets in Friday's action at the Comfort Inn-vitational, Kent State had to come from behind to earn its first five-set victory of the season on Saturday. The Golden Flashes defeated Coppin State, 3-2 (25-18, 18-25, 23-25, 25-13, 15-10), to complete an undefeated weekend and take a 7-6 record into the start of the conference season.
"It was an pretty up and down match, which is typical of how we've played on Saturdays this year," said head coach Don Gromala. "We came out hot and we started to lose some momentum questioned ourselves a little bit. We did a good job of getting back in that third set and were right there with some opportunities at the end. We served a little bit together and let them make more mistakes in the fourth. When the momentum flipped, we did a good job of carrying that into the fifth set."
Sophomore Lexi Mantas delivered several big swings for Kent State and had five of her team's 10 kills in the deciding fifth set. Mantas was ready to step up after seeing the court for just a few points in the first two sets and recorded a career-high 13 kills on 25 attempts without any errors for a .520 hitting percentage.
Redshirt freshman Darby Connors also set a career-high in kills with a career-high 18. Connors helped the Flashes get off to a quick start with seven kills in the opening set.
Defensively, three Kent State players turned in career efforts. Sophomore Sam Jones tallied 15 digs, while freshman Myla King and junior Heather Younkin matched previous career-bests with five total blocks and four total blocks, respectively.
The first set featured five ties and three lead changes before Kent State used a five-point run to pull away for a 20-13 lead. Connors and senior Drew Norberg each had a pair of kills sandwiched between a setter dump for a kill by senior Katarina Kojic. A kill by Younkin provided the final point in a 25-18 victory for the Flashes. Kojic recorded 14 assists in the set as Kent State posted 17 kills and a .387 hitting percentage.
The teams traded runs of three and four points early in the second as they split the first 20 points of the set. Following a Coppin State attack error that gave the Flashes a 14-13 lead, the Eagles went on a 9-1 run to go ahead 22-15. The teams traded points the rest of the way as Coppin State won 25-18 to the match.
Kent State started the third set strong with a kill by junior Kelsey Bittinger and a CSU attack error for a 2-0 lead. The Eagles scored the next four points to go ahead and then took the lead for good with a five-point run, which made it 13-8. Kent State roared back after trailing 19-13 to tie it at 23-23. However, Coppin State was able to respond and close it out for a 25-23 victory to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Flashes scored the first four points of the fourth set and never relinquished the lead to force a fifth set with a 25-13 victory. The Flashes hit at a .355 clip but needed only 12 kills in the frame.
After losing the first point of the fifth set, Kent State scored the next six points and appeared to be in control. Mantas delivered her fifth kill of the set for an 8-5 lead as the teams switched sides of the court. Coppin State then tied it 8-8. Unlike a week ago when the Flashes surrendered leads in similar situations, they responded with four straight points to go ahead 12-8. A few points later, Younkin secured victory with a kill.
Norberg had 16 kills and Younkin added 10 kills to give the Flashes four in double-figures. Kojic finished with 48 assists and added 8 digs.
Junior Challen Geraghty led all players with 19 kills and two service aces.
The Golden Flashes had three members of the all-tournament team — Sam Jones, Katarina Kojic and Drew Norberg. Jones averaged 34 digs (3.09 per set) over the three matches. Kojic posted 12.00 assists per set and 2.10 digs per set. Norberg led the offense with 34 kills (3.09 per set) and a .409 hitting percentage and added 7 total blocks.
"It was great to have some players step up this weekend," Gromala said. "Drew had a solid weekend. Lexi came in today and was on fire, which was great to see. Sam did a great job defensively as well. It's good to get the three wins, but we still need to keep growing and developing We sort of plateaued as the weekends have gone on."
Kent State starts Mid-American Conference play next weekend when Buffalo and Akron visit the M.A.C. Center.
