Kent State University
Miami
11/5/2026 4:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Kent State will play its final home match of the 2026 volleyball season at 4 p.m. Saturday against Miami.
Following the match, Mercedez Brown, Lesley Furuta and Liliana Mechura will be recognized for their contributions as members of the program.
PREVIEWING THE FLASHES
The Golden Flashes (11-13, 5-8 MAC) lost to Ohio, 3-0, on Tuesday and now needs to win at least two of the final three regular season contests to have a chance at qualifying for the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since 2019.
Senior Mercedez Brown has been the top attacker on the season and averages 2.53 kills per set. Sophomore Macie Moreland leads the team in conference play with an average of 2.57 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 .309 hitting percentage against MAC foes.
Senior Christina Vigil ranks fifth in the MAC with an average of 7.69 assists per set. Vigil is also versatile as a defender and averages 1.90 digs per set and 0.36 blocks per set.
Junior Lesley Furuta ranks sixth in the conference with an average of 3.80 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 Miami
The RedHawks (16-7, 8-4 MAC) sit third in the conference standings following a pair of 3-1 losses to MAC leader Toledo last weekend. Outside hitter Molly Creech ranks fifth in the league with an average of 3.46 kills per set. Outside hitter Chelsea Williams (2.37 kps) and opposite Lauren Coyne (2.34 kps) are also approaching 200 kills on the season. Libero Rachel Morgan leads the defense with 4.07 digs per set, which puts her fifth in the MAC.
SERIES HISTORY
Kent State is 25-68 all-time against Miami. The teams split a pair of matches last season in Oxford, and head coach Haley Eckerman owns a 3-4 record against the RedHawks.
UP NEXT FOR THE FLASHES
Kent State will close the regular season with road matches at Ball State on Friday, Nov. 13 and Akron on Saturday, Nov. 14.
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