Kent State University
4-9,0-2MAC
Buffalo
12-2,2-0MAC
Kent State Volleyball Takes Buffalo to Five Sets
9/23/2023 8:07:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State used strong serving to win its first two sets of Mid-American Conference play but visiting Buffalo battled back to win, 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 17-25, 7-15), during the Block Out Cancer match Saturday at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (4-9, 0-2 MAC) totaled six aces and took the Bulls out of system with tough serves on several additional points to win the second and third sets. Switching to a 6-2 rotation, Kent State posted a .333 hitting percentage during those sets but struggled to get much going in the final two sets with just nine kills to seven attack errors.
Sophomore Mackenzie McGuire was the top attacker of the match for the second night in a row and finished with 19 kills. McGuire also made an impact on defense, tying her career-high with 15 digs and matching her season-high with three blocks. Freshman Logan Henderson provided a boost after being inserted late in the opening set and finished with nine kills. Redshirt senior Kiana Mack added eight kills with an efficient .583 hitting percentage and recorded four aces.
Freshman Lily King led the Flashes with 21 assists, while sophomore Kendall White added 20 assists and tallied nine digs.
Senior Bryn Roberts had a match-high 20 digs.
How it Happened…
Set 1 (19-25): Kiana Mack helped Kent State open with a 4-1 lead as she registered a kill on the first point before adding a block assist and an ace. A six-point run put Buffalo ahead for the first time, 11-8. A service error and ace by Bryn Roberts followed to get the Golden Flashes within a point, but the Bulls then pulled away with a 10-4 run.
Set 2 (25-23): For the second night in a row, Kent State led by at least four points when hitting 23 in the second set. Miscommunication by the Bulls that allowed a free ball sent over by Bryn Roberts to fall to the floor for a big point made it 24-21 Flashes. Buffalo scored the next two points before serving the ball into the net to even it up. Logan Henderson had six kills on just seven swings in the set. Kent State hit .400 as a team.
Set 3 (25-19): Tied 10-10, Mack took over for the Flashes with a kill and aces on three of the next four points for a 15-10 lead. Kent State allowed Buffalo to score back-to-back points just twice the rest of the set to prevent a comeback and take a 2-1 lead.
Set 4 (17-25): The set featured six ties and two lead changes during the first 16 points before Buffalo took control with a 13-5 run.
Set 5 (7-15): The first two points went to Kent State on attack errors by the visitors. Buffalo won six of the next seven points before Burgundy Walters teamed with Mackenzie McGuire for a block and followed with a kill to get the Flashes within 6-5. The Bulls rolled from there with Kent State's only points coming on a service error and bad set.
Up Next for the Flashes
Kent State will play three road matches against MAC East Division opponents next week. The Golden Flashes will travel to Ohio for a single match on Tuesday, Sept. 26 and then battle rival Akron in a pair of contests on Thursday, Sept. 28 and Friday, Sept. 29.
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