Kent State University
Miami
Flashes Visit Miami to Begin Four-Match Road Stretch
9/29/2022 5:51:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
Kent State heads to Miami for the second weekend of the Mid-American Conference volleyball season. The two-match series begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30 and concludes with a 5 p.m. contest on Saturday, Oct. 1. Fans can watch the first match on ESPN+, while Saturday's match will be streamed on RedHawks All-Access.
PREVIEWING THE FLASHES
The Golden Flashes (9-4, 0-2 MAC) entered MAC play with a six-match winning streak and had posted their best non-conference record since 2008 but lost a pair of hard-fought battles to East Division preseason favorite Bowling Green, 3-1 and 3-0, last weekend. Four of the six sets Kent State lost were by four points or fewer.
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 newcomers, and ranks fourth overall, with 3.88 points and 3.54 kills per set. The 2021 Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year has recorded double-digit kills in 10 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 2.98 kills and 2.64 digs per set. The outside hitter is approaching the 1,000 milestone in both categories and enters the weekend with 986 kills and 966 digs during her four-year career as a Flash.
Tyson, Kent State's all-time hitting percentage leader (.312), is hitting at a .386 clip to rank third in the conference. The middle blocker is fifth in blocks per set (0.98).
Haffner is averaging 9.90 assists per set, which ranks fifth in total the MAC. She needs 13 digs to pass Stephanie Doran (1,062) break Kent State's record for digs by a setter.
Gardner leads the team with 3.44 digs per set and is averaging 5.25 digs per set over the past five matches since returning to the libero position.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The RedHawks (5-8, 0-2 MAC) have lost four in a row after a pair of losses at rival Ohio (0-3, 1-3) to start conference play last week. Miami is last in the MAC in opponent hitting percentage (.244) and blocks per set (1.25).
Outside hitter Ellie Hanson leads the RedHawks with averages of 3.10 kills and 2.86 digs per set. Outside hitter Allyson Severance adds 2.94 kills per set and has three 20-kill performances this season. Right side Abby Stratford contributes 2.46 kills per set.
UP NEXT
Kent State is scheduled to go back on the road next weekend with matches at Central Michigan on Oct. 7 and Eastern Michigan on Oct. 8.
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