Kent State University
4-16, 2-7MAC
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Western Michigan
13-7, 6-3MAC
Three Flashes Post Double-Doubles in Loss at First-Place WMU
10/20/2017 11:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Kent State was unable to build off winning the opening set in come-from-behind fashion and fell, 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 22-25, 22-25), to Mid-American Conference West Division co-leader Western Michigan inside University Arena on Friday evening.
The Golden Flashes (4-16, 2-7 MAC) had three players record a double-double in the contest. Senior Kelsey Bittinger had a team-high 14 kills to go with 13 digs. Junior Lexi Mantas contributed 12 kills and 13 digs. Freshman Natalie Tagala tallied 35 assists and 16 digs.
Both teams totaled 163 attacks with the Broncos posting 66 kills to just 50 for the Flashes. Freshman Rachel Bontrager matched her career-high with 25 kills and had a .393 hitting percentage, while All-MAC middle blocker Sydney LeMay hit .424 and added 16 kills. The 66 kills are the most by a Kent State opponent this season.
"Once again, we battled the whole match and were close in sets but weren't able to win the key points," said head coach Don Gromala. "We did a good job of coming back late to win the first set, but gave up leads later in the match. I thought that net play was the difference. Western Michigan had a couple players really step and we didn't have anybody scoring at a high level. Our pins were solid, but we needed some production from our middles."
Kent State rallied from an 18-13 deficit in the opening set to take a 1-0 lead. Senior Amber Gerdeman and Tagala teamed for a block that gave the Flashes their first lead of the night, 23-22. After an attack error tied it, a service error by WMU gave Kent State set point. The Broncos sent their return attack on the next point wide to end the set.
Tied at 11-11 in the second set, WMU went on a 7-1 run to pull away. Kent State got within three at 18-15, but the Broncos answered with four straight points and evened the match with a 25-17 victory.
WMU appeared to be in control after jumping out to an 8-2 lead in the third. The Flashes gradually chipped into the deficit and went ahead, 15-14, following three straight kills from Tagala, sophomore Annie Ennesser and Bittinger. The Broncos surged back ahead with three straight points. The teams were tied at 19, 20, 21 and 22 points before WMU closed the set by scoring three in a row.
Kent State used a 9-3 run in the fourth set to take its largest lead of the night, 15-10. However, WMU regrouped and closed the match on a 15-7 run of its own. With the Flashes holding a 20-19 lead, Bontrager posted three straight kills for the Broncos. The freshman added kills to give the hosts points 24 and 25 in the set.
Senior Heather Younkin posted 13 kills to give Kent State three players in double-digits.
Senior Challen Geraghty had a team-high 18 digs to move ahead of Ball State's Stephanie Keller for fourth on the Mid-American Conference career digs list with 2,286.
Kent State will be back in action Saturday at Northern Illinois with first serve slated for 8 p.m. EDT.
