Kent State University
Ball State
11/12/2026 2:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Kent State will conclude the 2026 volleyball season this weekend with a pair of road contests. The Golden Flashes will play at Ball State on Friday and at rival Akron on Saturday.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, November 13
6 p.m.            Kent State at Ball State (ESPN+)
Saturday, November 14
6 p.m. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kent State at Akron (ESPN+)
PREVIEWING THE FLASHES
The Golden Flashes (11-14, 5-9 MAC) lost the home finale to Miami on Saturday, 3-0.
Senior Mercedez Brown has been the top attacker on the season and averages 2.55 kills per set. Sophomore Macie Moreland leads the team in conference play with an average of 2.53 kills per set and junior Vanessa Imoh is close behind at 2.51 kills per set. Imoh has been an efficient attacker at the pin with a .300 hitting percentage against MAC foes.
Senior Christina Vigil ranks fifth in the MAC with an average of 7.76 assists per set. Vigil is also versatile as a defender and averages 1.94 digs per set and 0.36 blocks per set.
Junior Lesley Furuta ranks sixth in the conference with an average of 3.73 digs per set. Furuta tallied a career-high 34 digs against Toledo on Oct. 9. In addition to being the most by any MAC player this season, only three players in Division I have topped that mark in a four-setter.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Ball State
The Cardinals (18-7, 9-5 MAC) have won three in a row and enter the final weekend with a chance to earn the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament. Ball State ranks in the top 10 nationally in kills per set (14.16), assists per set (13.37) and digs per set (17.03) while also sitting 25th in hitting percentage (.262).
Middle hitter Camryn Wise ranks 23rd in the country with a .407 hitting percentage and averages of 2.14 kills per set. Outside hitter/opposite Ava Smith leads the attack with 3.49 kills per set, which puts her fourth in the conference. Libero Sophie Ledbetter leads the MAC with an average of 4.74 digs per set.
Akron
The Zips (11-16, 6-9 MAC) suffered a reverse sweep setback against Buffalo on Tuesday to officially be eliminated from conference tournament contention. Middle blocker Chidera Ozoh ranks 30th in the nation with a .394 hitting percentage and posts averages of 2.20 kills and 1.00 block per set. Outside hitter Delaney Gash leads the attack with 3.18 kills per set.
SERIES HISTORY
Kent State is 18-46 all-time against Ball State and has won just a single set during the current seven-match losing streak in the series.
The Golden Flashes own a 53-41 lead all-time in the rivalry and look to even the season series after dropping the conference opener, 3-0, on Sept. 23.
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