Kent State University
Ball State
Kent State Visits Ball State for Two-Match Series
3/10/2021 9:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Kent State goes back on the road this week for two Mid-American Conference volleyball matches at Ball State. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at Worthen Arena, while Friday's match is slated for 2 p.m. at the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center.
The Golden Flashes (9-4) are undefeated on the road this season with 3-0 sweeps in five of six matches. Kent State ranks second in the conference with a .243 team hitting percentage and has four pin hitters averaging more than 2.50 kills per set. Sophomore Savannah Matthews is third in the MAC with averages of 4.49 points and 4.09 kills per set. Sophomore Taylor Heberle adds 3.02 kills per set and is tied for the team lead with 13 aces. Junior Melissa Kolurbasi leads the group with a .275 hitting percentage while posting 2.79 kills per set. Sophomore Morgan Copley has averaged 2.58 kills per set after missing the first two weekends of the season. Juniors Lana Strejcek and Danie Tyson have been efficient offensive weapons in the middle for the Flashes. Strejcek (1.79 kps) owns a .364 hitting percentage that ranks third in the conference, while Tyson (1.55 kps) is hitting at a .326 clip, which is good for 10th in the conference.
Redshirt junior Alex Haffner, a three-time MAC East Division Setter of the Week honoree this season, is third in the MAC and 135th in the nation in assists per set (11.24 apg). Haffner has also made an impact on defense with career-best averages of 2.92 digs per set and 0.51 blocks per set.
Kent State is 16th in the country in digs (18.67 dps) and sixth in the MAC in blocks (2.10 bps). Junior Erin Gardner averages a team-best 4.75 digs per set. Matthews adds 3.16 digs per set. Freshman Bryn Roberts (2.83 dps) totaled a career-high 30 digs last Friday against Miami and averaged 5.57 digs per set for the two-match series. Strejcek ranks second in the conference with 1.15 blocks per set.
SCOUTING BALL STATE
The Cardinals (6-7) were picked as the favorite to win the MAC West Division and got off to a 5-1 start. Since then, Ball State has lost six of seven matches, all in three sets. The Cardinals have allowed opponents to hit at a .275 clip during this seven-match stretch.
Kia Holder leads the team with 3.17 kills per set. Marie Plitt adds 2.09 kills per set and has a .359 hitting percentage that ranks fourth in the conference. Esther Grussing (6.64 aps) and Kate Vinson (4.17 aps) share setting responsibilities in a 6-2 offense. The defense is led by Lauren Gilliland, whose 1.13 blocks per set rank third in the MAC, and Maggie Huber, whose 5.08 digs per set rank fifth in the MAC.
SERIES HISTORY
Kent State is 15-40 all-time against Ball State. The Golden Flashes have had success in recent seasons with wins in four of the past six matches, including a 3-0 sweep last season. Head coach Don Gromala is 4-5 against the Cardinals with five of the contests going five sets.
UP NEXT
Kent State is scheduled to host three matches inside of the M.A.C. Center next week. The Golden Flashes will host Ohio on Tuesday, March 16 and then welcome Northern Illinois to campus for matches on Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Be sure to follow Kent State Volleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad.
