Kent State University
Santa Clara
Bulldog Brawl Brings Non-Conference Slate to a Close
9/13/2018 9:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Kent State seeks to end the non-conference portion of the volleyball schedule when it plays three matches this weekend at the Bulldog Brawl on Butler University's campus.
The Golden Flashes (6-5) will play Santa Clara on Friday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m. Kent State is scheduled for two matches on Saturday, Sept. 15. The Flashes will battle local rival Cleveland State at 1 p.m. and then conclude the weekend against host Butler at 7 p.m.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, September 14
4:00 p.m. Kent State vs. Santa Clara – Live Stats
Saturday, September 15
1:00 p.m. Kent State vs. Cleveland State – Live Stats
7:00 p.m. Kent State at Butler – Live Stats
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Santa Clara (4-5)
The Broncos are receiving votes in the VolleyballMag.com Mid-Major Poll presented by the NIVC despite having lost three straight since taking down Wake Forest (3-1) and MAC East favorite Ohio (3-0) back on Aug. 31. Santa Clara has gone against tough competition during this stretch with matches against No. 5 Nebraska (6-1), Boise State (6-1) and UC Davis (7-2).
Outside hitter Michelle Shaffer has been the team's top attacker this season with 2.79 kills per set and is second on the team with 3.00 digs per set. Opposite Ngozi Nwabuzah adds 2.40 kills per set. Setter Liliana Light posts 9.09 assists per set and libero Chloe Loreen is recording a team-high 3.85 digs per set.
Cleveland State (4-5)
Horizon League favorite Cleveland State has lost four straight after a winless showing in its home tournament this past weekend. The Vikings have two losses to ranked opponents — No. 11 Illinois and No. 23 Michigan — and two losses to MAC schools — Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan.
Despite returning four starters from a team that made its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance a season ago, CSU has struggled with its offense and has hit better than .200 in only two matches.
The Vikings are strong defensively and their .153 opponent hitting percentage ranks them 35th nationally. CSU has totaled double-digit blocks four times this season and ranks 14th in the country at 2.79 blocks per set, while adding 17.24 digs per set to rank 25th.
Middle hitter Hannah Greene is the blocking catalyst, ranking 12th nationally at 1.52 blocks per set. Outside hitter Rachel Stover (1.18 blocks per set) and middle hitter Trinniti Hall (1.03 blocks per set), rank third and sixth, respectively, in the Horizon League. Libero Rachel Dohar leads the floor defense at 4.85 digs per set and is coming off of a career-high 30-dig performance against Bowling Green.
Hall leads CSU in kills per set (2.67) and outside hitter Sara Skeens adds 2.52 kills per set. Setter Christina Grecol averages 9.18 assists per set.
Butler (1-8)
The Bulldogs will be hosting their second tournament in the last three weeks and are coming off a five-set loss to Buffalo in which it held a 2-0 lead. Butler's lone win came against Eastern Illinois, 3-0, on Sept. 1. For the second straight year, Butler has been without 2016 AVCA All-American outside hitter Anna Logan for the first three weeks of the season.
Middle blockers Melody Davidson (1.17 blocks per set) and Bri Lilly (1.13 block per set) are currently the top two blockers in the Big EAST and have helped Butler rank 32nd in the country in blocking (2.58 per set).
Outside hitter Natalie Ravenell leads the team with 3.00 kills per set, while Lilly adds 2.67 kills per set. Setter Maddie Freiwald is averaging 8.52 assists per set and libero Elizabeth LaBue posts a team-best 3.03 digs per set.
ALL-TIME VS. OPPONENTS
Kent State is 31-30 all-time against the tournament field, with the majority of those results coming against local rival Cleveland State. The Flashes lead the series with the Vikings, 29-23. Cleveland State came away with a 3-0 win in the most recent meeting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which marked the debut of head coach Don Gromala.
The Flashes have lost both previous matches to Santa Clara. Most recently, the Broncos earned a 3-0 victory in a 2015 match played in Sacramento, California.
Butler owns a 5-2 lead in the all-time series, including a 3-0 win last season in Kent and a 3-0 victory at home in 2012. The Flashes' last victory in the series was in 2009.
UP NEXT
Kent State begins Mid-American Conference play at Ohio on Thursday, Sept. 20 and then heads to Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 22 to conclude a nine-match road swing.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Be sure to follow Kent State Volleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad.
