Kent State University
Toledo
Kent State Volleyball Visits Toledo for First of Back-to-Back Road Weekends
10/7/2026 2:18:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Kent State will play a pair of matches at Mid-American Conference preseason favorite Toledo in the first of two consecutive road weekends. Both contests are scheduled for 6 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 8
6 p.m. Kent State at Toledo (ESPN+)
Friday, October 9
6 p.m. Kent State at Toledo (ESPN+)
PREVIEWING THE FLASHES
The Golden Flashes (7-8, 1-3 MAC) are coming off their best victory of the season after taking down Bowling Green in five sets on Friday evening. Four different attackers posted double-digit kills and six players contributed to a season-high 13 blocks.
Senior Christina Vigil ranks fifth in the MAC with an average of 7.63 assists per set. Vigil displayed her versatility against the Falcons with season-high totals in assists (43), kills (6) and blocks (4) in addition to 12 digs.
Lesley Furuta is having a breakout junior campaign in the libero jersey and ranks seventh in the conference with an average of 3.82 digs per set. Furuta's her career-high 29 digs against UT Arlington on Sept. 4 are the most by any player in the conference this season. The Columbus, Ohio native has also excelled from behind the service line and sits leads the Flashes in total aces (16).
Senior Mercedez Brown has been the go-to attacker and leads the team with an average of 2.58 kills per set. Brown has recorded 10 or more kills in nine matches and has recorded a team-high five double-doubles. Sophomore Macie Moreland has started league play strong and is averaging 2.33 kills per set through four MAC matches. Moreland took over late against BG and recorded six of her career-high 15 kills in the fifth set.
Redshirt junior Adalynn Ginley leads the Flashes with 42 total blocks and junior Nadia Miller is close behind with 38 stuffs. Kent State is 5-0 when recording at least eight blocks.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
The Rockets (12-2, 4-0 MAC) are 25th in the season's initial RPI rankings that were released on Wednesday and own Power Four wins over Missouri and West Virginia. Toledo took six of eight sets over the weekend for a series sweep in a matchup between the two teams picked to finish atop the conference standings. The Rockets rank in the top 10 nationally in both digs per set (17.21) and assists per set (13.25).
Four different players have totaled more than 100 kills while averaging more than 2.00 kills per set. Outside hitter Ava Siefke leads the way at 2.65 kills per set and is joined by opposite Sophie Catalano (2.40 kps), middle blocker Kayla Ozanich (2.35 kps) and outside hitter Jessica Costlow (2.17 kps). Reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year Grace Freiberger averages 3.89 digs per set to lead the conference.
ALL-TIME VS. OPPONENT
Toledo has regained the all-time series lead, 38-35, with three consecutive victories. Kent State has just one win in the past eight matchups.
UP NEXT FOR THE FLASHES
Kent State will be back on the road for two matches at Central Michigan on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and Thursday, Oct. 15.
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