Kent State University
Bowling Green
Flashes Continue Road Swing at Bowling Green and Miami
10/31/2019 11:43:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Kent State volleyball team goes back on the road this weekend for two key Mid-American Conference matches. The Golden Flashes will look to avenge losses earlier this season when they play at Bowling Green on Friday at 6 p.m. and at Miami on Saturday at 5 p.m.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 1
6:00 p.m. Kent State at Bowling Green
Saturday, Nov. 2
5:00 p.m. Kent State at Miami
LAST TIME OUT
Kent State's offense shined during a 1-1 road trip last weekend. The Golden Flashes posted a .316 hitting percentage and averaged 15.22 kills per set in a 3-1 loss to Northern Illinois and 3-2 victory over Western Michigan. The team's impressive .350 hitting percentage against the Huskies was its best since the final weekend of the 2015 regular season.
Freshman Savannah Matthews and senior Ashley Makruski had career nights against WMU. Matthews recorded her seventh double-double with 21 kills and 16 digs. She is the first Kent State freshman with 20-plus kills in a match since Kelsey Bittinger in 2014 and had the most kills by a Flashes player since the 2015 season. Makruski totaled a career-high 19 kills against WMU.
The play of setter Alex Haffner was instrumental in the offense's high level of efficiency. The redshirt sophomore totaled 108 assists for an average of 12.00 per set. Savannah Matthews was the Flashes' top attacker with an average of 4.22 kills per set. Ashley Makruski (3.78) and freshman Morgan Copley (3.00) also contributed at least three kills per set on the weekend.
Sophomore Erin Gardner led the defense with 41 digs (4.56 per set). Junior Kaeleigh Stang added 24 digs (2.67 per set), including a season-high 14 against WMU.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Bowling Green (13-9, 7-3 MAC)
The Falcons sit a game out of first-place following a three-match win streak but has lost their past two Friday home contests.
A strong floor defense once again ranks eight in the national rankings at 18.0 digs per set. Libero Julia Walz is having a breakout sophomore campaign and is 10th in the country with an average of 5.51 digs per set.
Outside hitter Katelyn Meyer is sixth in the conference with an average of 3.27 kills per set and has posted 20-plus kills in two of the last three matches. Outside hitter Jacqueline Askin adds 2.83 kills per set. Setter Isabelle Marciniak, an All-MAC performer in 2017, runs the offense and posts averages of 9.14 assists and 2.64 digs per set.
Middle blocker Katie Kidwell is the conference's top blocker at 1.14 blocks per set. Kidwell was an All-MAC First Team honoree last season and adds 1.74 kills per set.
Miami (13-8, 8-2 MAC)
The RedHawks are in a three-way tie for first in the conference and have won six in a row following sweeps of Ball State and Toledo last weekend. Miami ranks second in the MAC in kills per set (13.37) and aces per set (1.43) and third in opponent hitting percentage (.189).
A pair of all-conference players lead the offense. Outside hitter/right side Gaby Harper, the 2018 MAC Freshman of the Year, posts 2.85 kills per set while adding 3.06 digs per set. Middle hitter Margaret Payne owns a team-best .335 hitting percentage and averages 2.64 kills per set. Middle hitter Avarie Powell (2.20 kps) has provided a consistent third attacking option during league play and was named MAC East Division Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after posting 3.67 kills per set and .571 hitting percentage in the RedHawks' matches over the weekend.
Setters Morgan Seaman (5.72 aps) and Louise Comerford (5.20 aps) share setting duties in the RedHawks' 6-2 offense.
Libero Abigail Huser is the team leader with 3.97 digs per set.
ALL-TIME VS. OPPONENTS
Kent State is 23-60 all-time against Bowling Green. After splitting the season series in 2014 and 2015, the Falcons have won the last six meetings. Head coach Don Gromala is 2-12 against the Falcons.
The Golden Flashes are 20-61 all-time against Miami, which includes four consecutive losses. Head coach Don Gromala is 4-11 against the RedHawks with five of the contests going five sets.
UP NEXT
Kent State concludes a stretch of five consecutive road match with a trip to Ohio on Thursday, Nov. 7 before returning to the M.A.C. Center for the final three matches of the regular season, beginning against Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Nov 9.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
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