Trio of Golden Flashes Earn MAC Volleyball Postseason Honors
11/20/2019 12:14:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kent State setter Alex Haffner was named All-MAC Honorable Mention, while opposite Morgan Copley and outside hitter Savannah Matthews were named to the six-member All-Freshman Team, as the Mid-American Conference office announced its volleyball postseason honors on Wednesday (Nov. 20).
Haffner is the first Kent State setter to receive all-conference recognition since Katarina Kojic in 2015. During conference play, she was fifth in assists per set (10.07) but averaged 11.49 assists over final 12 matches after switching to a 5-1 offense. Haffner helped the Golden Flashes lead the MAC in hitting percentage and rank third in kills per set. The redshirt sophomore was the best attacking setter in the conference with a .414 hitting percentage and 0.92 kills per set.
Copley ranked second in points per set (2.91) and third in kills per set (2.67) among conference freshmen. Her .274 hitting percentage ranked second overall among pins who averaged at least 2.50 kills per set. The Aurora, Ohio native posted double-digit kills in 10 matches against MAC opponents.
Matthews was one of the best six-rotation freshmen in the conference, as she led all first-year players with 3.05 digs per set and ranked fourth in points (2.79) and kills per set (2.44). She was fifth overall among pins in digs per set. Matthews posted a team-best five double-doubles during the conference season. She had a career-best 21 kills, the most by a Golden Flash since the 2016 season, against Western Michigan and a career-best 22 digs against Eastern Michigan.
Kent State is back in action in Bowling Green, Ohio for the 2019 MAC Volleyball Championship. The eighth-seeded Golden Flashes will begin the quest for their first conference title against Ohio on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
