Kent State University
2-1
Gardner-Webb
0-3
High-Powered Offense Leads Flashes in Sweep of Gardner-Webb
8/31/2019 4:45:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Kent State posted its best hitting percentage since 2015 in a 3-0 (25-11, 25-11, 25-17) victory over Gardner-Webb on Saturday morning.
The Golden Flashes, which concluded the opening weekend at the Charlotte Invitational with a 2-1 record, hit .347 as a team and had four players tally at least eight kills.
Redshirt freshman Jacqlyn Caspers had a match-high 10 kills and a .714 hitting percentage while adding five total blocks. Freshman Taylor Heberle recorded nine kills in her first collegiate action, while sophomore Melissa Kolurbasi and freshman Savannah Matthews added eight kills apiece.
Redshirt sophomore Alex Haffner and junior Natalie Tagala split setting duties. Haffner had 22 assists and Tagala finished with 16 assists.
"This was a good finish to the tournament today," said head coach Don Gromala. "We executed really well with a different lineup. We went with 6-2 to get some people some different options. Melissa [Kolurbasi], Savannah [Matthews], and Jacqlyn [Caspers], particularly, had really good matches. That starts with our setting, and I thought our setters made some really good decisions".ย
Kent State held Gardner-Webb to a .021 hitting percentage and allowed just 22 kills.
Sophomore Erin Gardner led the defense with 23 digs. Matthews tallied seven digs with Haffner and Heberle right behind with six digs.
Freshman Savannah Matthews and sophomore Danie Tyson were named to the all-tournament team. Matthews led Kent State with 36 kills (3.60 per set) and was second with 33 digs (3.30 per set). Tyson added 22 kills (2.20 per set) and had a team-best .400 hitting percentage.
Kent State opens the home schedule next weekend when it hosts the 2019 Golden Flashes Classic from Sept. 6-7. The Flashes will welcome Valparaiso, Idaho State and Robert Morris to the M.A.C. Center for the two-day tournament.
"We have a big home weekend with some tough competition coming in," noted Gromala.
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