Kent State University
0-1,0-0MAC
Florida Atlantic
1-0,0-0American
McGuire Powers Flashes on Opening Day of Volleyball Season
8/29/2025 9:04:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
BOCA RATON, Fla. โ Outside hitter Mackenzie McGuire started her senior campaign strong as the Kent State volleyball team dropped matches to host Florida Atlantic (3-0) and Western Carolina (3-1) during action at the FAU Invitational on Friday.
McGuire totaled 36 kills and a .329 hitting percentage over the two contests. Junior Mercedez Brown (16), freshman Macie Moreland (12) and redshirt junior Liliana Mechura (11) recorded had double-digit kills on opening day. Mechura also made an impact defensively at the net with nine total blocks.
In her Golden Flashes debut, junior Christina Vigil led the way with 69 assists and 16 digs. Sophomore Hailey Brenner added 13 digs and team-high five aces.
Match 1: Florida Atlantic 3, Kent State 0 (24-26, 17-25, 20-25)
Despite not winning a set, two of the three were very competitive with the teams combining for 20 ties and eight lead changes during the first and third.
Kent State fought back from a 19-15 deficit in the opening set to tie it 21-21 on an ace by Hailey Brenner. The Owls won the three points that followed but committed an attack error to keep the Flashes alive. Mackenzie McGuire and Liliana Mechura teamed for a block on the next point and McGuire posted her sixth kill of the set to tie it 24-24. Attack errors on the next two points allowed the host strike first.
FAU hit .500 in the second set to go ahead 2-0 and led early in the third before Kent State took its first lead of the set, 10-9. The host then went ahead by three before the Flashes battled back to tie it on three occasions. FAU then put it away with a 6-1 run.
McGuire led all players with 17 kills and hit at a .361 clip. Christina Vigil recorded a double-double with 30 assists and 10 digs.
Match 2: Western Carolina 3, Kent State 1 (22-25, 19-25, 27-25, 23-25)
After dropping the first two sets, the Flashes faced a 24-22 deficit in the third. Christina Vigil extended the match with a kill on the next point, and the back-to-back attack errors by the Catamounts put Kent State ahead 25-24. The teams traded the next two points before Vigil and Liliana Mechura teamed for a block and 27-25 set victory.
The Flashes took a 22-21 lead in the fourth on a kill by Mackenzie McGuire before losing the next three points. McGuire followed with another kill to extend the match, but Western Carolina took the next point to close it out.
McGuire led Kent State's attack with 19 kills. Mechura recorded a career-high 13 points on eight kills and seven total blocks while hitting at a .467 clip. Vigil had 39 assists and Greta Bolognini finished with a team-high 10 digs.
Up Next for the Flashes
Kent State will conclude the opening weekend of the season on Saturday against Texas Tech. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m.
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