Kent State University
3-5,0-0MAC
Wichita State
4-0,0-0AAC
Volleyball Beats Delaware In Five Sets for Split Friday at Kansas Invitational
9/10/2021 10:16:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
LAWRENCE, Kan. โ The Kent State volleyball team was undeterred by a 3-1 lost to Wichita State in the opening match of the Kansas Invitational and earned a 3-2 victory over Delaware on Friday evening.
The Golden Flashes (4-5) showed spurts of brilliance on offense and posted a hitting percentage of .300 or higher in four of the nine set. Three players totaled at least 20 kills with junior Savannah Matthews leading the way with 29. Senior Melissa Kolurbasi had 22 kills and senior Danie Tyson added 20 kills while hitting at a .514 clip.
Match 1: Wichita State 3, Kent State 1 (15-25, 20-25, 25-23, 14-25)
The Golden Flashes displayed a potent offense during the third set despite struggles in the other three set of a setback to the unbeaten Shockers.
Wichita State started with an 8-0 lead. After fighting back to get within 9-4, Kent State trailed 20-10. The Flashes scored four in a row but lost the opening set, 25-15.
A four-point run gave Kent State an 8-5 lead in the second set, but the Shockers countered with a 10-3 run to take control and win the set 25-20.
The Flashes made adjustments during the intermission and jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the third set. Wichita State fought back to go ahead 19-17 but followed with three straight attack errors, ending with a block by Morgan Copley and Ainsley Guse to give Kent State a 20-19 lead. Down 22-21, the Flashes scored three straight points again on kills by Copley and Savannah Matthews and a block by Matthews and Danie Tyson. The Shockers were able to side out and extend the set before Matthews delivered another kill for the 25-23 win. Kent State hit .333 for the set with Tyson's six kills leading the way.
Another slow start by the Flashes resulted in an early 5-0 deficit. Kent State totaled just seven kills in the set and lost 25-14.
Savannah Matthews led the attack with 10 kills. Ainsley Guse and Danie Tyson were efficient in the middle with eight kills apiece while combining for a .469 hitting percentage. Morgan Copley and Melissa Kolurbasi both added seven kills. Alex Haffner had a team-high 21 assists and Kiersten Kraus totaled 10 assists in her first appearance for the Flashes.
The defense was led by Bryn Roberts, who tallied 18 digs. Copley, Guse and Tyson totaled three blocks each.
Match 2: Kent State 3, Delaware 2 (25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 18-25, 15-9)
Kent State posted its best hitting percentage (.274) since the second match of the season and tallied a season-high 69 digs to end the day with a victory.
The Flashes' offense was nearly unstoppable in the opening set, totaling 16 kills and a .469 hitting percentage. A service error put Kent State ahead 22-2. Melissa Kolurbasi followed with a kill, and the Flashes had a chance at set point after a block by Ainsley Guse and Alex Haffner. The Blue Hens were able to side out, but Haffner answered with a kill to end the set.
Kent State closed on a 14-4 run to overcome a six-point deficit and take a 2-0 lead into the intermission. A service run by Haffner key a six-point run to start the comeback. Delaware took its final lead, 21-20, before a service run by Kiersten Kraus helped the Flashes take the final five points.
Bryn Roberts' ace evened the third set at 18-18, but the Blue Hens were able to win key points down the stretch for a 25-22 victory.
The offense struggled in the fourth set once again, totaling only five kills and losing 25-18.
The Flashes fell behind 3-1 before closing with 14-6 run. Kolurbasi allowed Kent State to double-up Delaware with a kill that made it 14-7. The Blue Hens got back-to-back kills before recording a service error to bring the match to an anticlimactic
Savannah Matthews led the offense with a season-high 19 kills. Melissa Kolurbasi added 15 kills and Danie Tyson had 12. Alex Haffner totaled 49 assists and had four total blocks to share the team lead.
Bryn Roberts paced the defense with a season-high 29 digs. Gracey Jarecke added 13 digs.
Up Next
The Golden Flashes will attempt to beat a Power Five opponent for the first time since 2010 when they play host Kansas at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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