Kent State University
Toledo
Volleyball Visits Toledo for Second MAC Weekend
9/30/2021 4:42:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
The Kent State volleyball team will hit the road for the first time during the Mid-American Conference portion of the schedule this week for two matches at Toledo. First serve at Savage Arena is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The Golden Flashes (6-8, 1-1 MAC) scrapped back from a 0-2 deficit to beat Ball State in five sets last Friday before closing the opening weekend of conference play with a 3-0 setback to the Cardinals. Junior Savannah Matthews posted a career-high 27 kills while hitting .412 to lead the comeback effort on Friday and totaled 37 kills for the two matches. Seniors Melissa Kolurbasi and Danie Tyson added 20 kills each.
Kent State ranks second in the conference with 2.18 blocks per set. Freshman Ainsley Guse and senior Danie Tyson are the only set of teammates who are in the top-10 of the MAC rankings in both hitting percentage and blocks per set. Guse leads the Flashes in both categories, hitting at a .373 clip and registering 0.98 blocks per set. Tyson adds 0.86 blocks per set and is hitting .338 for the season.
Three additional Kent State attackers have totaled more than 80 kills this season as part of a balanced attack.ย Savannah Matthews ranks in the top-10 in the league in both points (3.75) and kills (3.29) per set.ย Melissa Kolurbasi is averaging a career-best 2.56 kills per set and junior Morgan Copley adds 1.87 kills per set.
Redshirt senior Alex Haffner is sixth in the league with an average of 9.84 assists per set and adds 2.24 digs per set. Haffner leads Kent State with 12 service aces and six double-doubles.
Senior Erin Gardner tallied 4.63 digs per set against Ball State in her first action since late February. Sophomore Bryn Roberts has recorded a team-high 204 digs (3.71 per set) while filling in at libero during the non-conference slate.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
The Rockets (10-4, 1-1 MAC) bounced back from a 3-0 loss to Ohio in their conference opener last Friday with a 3-0 victory over the Bobcats on Saturday. Toledo enters the weekend with the best record through 14 matches since 2004 (11-3). The Rockets lead the MAC in aces per set (1.72) and blocking (2.27 per set) while ranking second in opponent hitting percentage (.183).
Outside hitter Taylor Alt is the top scorer in the league at 4.60 points per set and averages a MAC-best 0.47 aces per set. Alt's 3.82 kills per set rank second in the conference. Outside hitter Sina Uluave, a transfer from Wichita State, has made an immediate impact and averages 2.55 kills per set. Middle blocker Olivia Vance adds 2.19 kills per set while leading the Rockets in hitting percentage (.314) and blocks per set (0.96).
Elaine Redman (6.63 assists per set) and Payton Morman (4.62 assists per set) have shared the setting duties. Libero Ryan Jaqua ranks second in the MAC with 4.74 digs per set.
SERIES HISTORYย
Kent State is 34-31 all-time against Toledo. The Flashes have won four straight in the series, including a pair of 3-0 wins on the road in February. Head coach Don Gromala is 6-5 against the Rockets.
UP NEXT
Kent State will return to the M.A.C. Center for the first of two weekends during the conference schedule in which it will play multiple teams. The Flashes will host Central Michigan on Friday. Oct. 8 and Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 9.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Be sure to follow Kent State Volleyball onย Twitter,ย Instagramย andย Facebookย for news and updates about the squad.
