Kent State University
Akron
Flashes Volleyball to Host Wagon Wheel Challenge Contests in Return to M.A.C. Center
10/13/2022 5:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
In its return to the M.A.C. Center following back-to-back road weekends, Kent State will host Akron in a pair of Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge matches on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15. The rivalry contests will begin a stretch of five matches in eight days for the Golden Flashes.
Both matches will be streamed on ESPN3, with first served scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday.
PREVIEWING THE FLASHES
The Golden Flashes (11-6, 2-4 MAC) managed to split each of the past two weekends on the road, going 1-1 at Miami to start the month and then falling at Central Michigan before defeating Eastern Michigan last weekend.
The Flashes' depth has been on display during the opening month of the season, with five players totaling six MAC East Division Player of the Week awards. Graduate student Alex Haffner has won MAC East Division Setter of the Week twice with graduate student Erin Gardner (defensive), senior Gracey Jarecke (defensive), senior Savannah Matthews (offensive) and freshman Mackenzie McGuire (offensive) each earning a selection.
McGuire leads all MAC freshmen, and ranks seventh overall, with 3.23 kills per set. The 2021 Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year has recorded double-digit kills in 11 matches, including back-to-back 24-kill performances against Murray State and Charleston Southern en route to MVP honors at the Marshall Invite. Matthews has been a productive six-rotation contributor with averages of 3.05 kills and 2.80 digs per set. The outside hitter registered the 1,000th kill of her career last Friday and enters the weekend with 999 digs. Only five players in program have achieved the 1,000 mark in both categories.
Graduate student Danie Tyson, Kent State's all-time hitting percentage leader (.308), is hitting at a .337 clip to rank fifth in the conference. The middle blocker leads the way with 0.93 blocks per set, and her 366 career rejections ranks third in Flashes history.
Haffner is averaging 9.30 assists per set, which ranks sixth in the MAC. She has totaled 1,082 digs in a Kent State uniform, passing Stephanie Doran the program's record by a setter earlier this month in a victory at Miami.
Gardner leads the team with 3.63 digs per set. The graduate student is 58 away from becoming the third member of Kent State's 2,000-digs club.
UP NEXT
Kent State will host Ohio on Tuesday, Oct. 18 and then travel to Buffalo for matches on Oct. 20-21.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Be sure to follow Kent State Volleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad.
