Kent State University
1-58-12; MAC
Miami
5-113-5; MAC
Kent State Suffers 3-0 Setback to Miami
10/6/2018 8:20:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
OXFORD, Ohio – Kent State lost to reigning Mid-American Conference champion Miami, 3-0 (18-25, 21-25, 21-25), Saturday inside of Millett Hall.
The Golden Flashes (8-12, 1-5 MAC) improved offensively from Friday night and finished with a .188 hitting percentage. Redshirt freshman Alex Haffner recorded 31 assists. Senior Amy Kober and freshman Melissa Kolurbasi shared the team lead with six kills. Sophomore Ezri Edwards and junior Ashley Makruski added five kills apiece.
Freshman Erin Gardner had a match-high 14 digs. Senior Sam Jones tallied 13 digs and Edwards led the way with three blocks.
Miami scored the first three points of the night before a service error put Kent State on the board. Edwards registered the Flashes' first kill to make it 5-2. A kill by freshman Danie Tyson got Kent State within two for the final time in the set at 9-7. The RedHawks quickly extended their lead to 15-10. It was still a five-point difference at 23-18 before Miami got back-to-back kills for the 25-18 victory.
Kent State led 2-1 in the second set on kills by Kolurbasi and Edwards, but Miami answered with a 5-0 run to take the lead for good. A service error and attack error got the Flashes within 15-13 before the RedHawks took the next three points to gain separation. Trailing 23-18, the Flashes continued to fight and won three of four points before falling, 25-21.
The third set was the most competitive for Flashes. Kills by Kolurbasi and junior Myla King, followed by a Miami setting error brought Kent State within 22-20. The RedHawks were able to get a kill to end the run, but King came right back with a kill to make it 23-21. However, the Flashes sent the ensuing serve long and followed with an attack into the net to give Miami the set, 25-21.
Kent State concludes the first half of the conference season with matches at Ball State and Toledo next weekend.
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