Kent State University
0-1,0-0MAC
Virginia Tech
1-0,0-0ACC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent St. | 20 | 24 | 23 | 0 |
| Virginia Tech | 25 | 26 | 25 | 3 |
Kent State Takes Down Coppin State in Five Sets on Opening Day of 2026 Volleyball Season
8/28/2026 7:58:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
BLACKSBURG, Va. โ The Kent State volleyball team split its opening matches at the Hokie Invitational on Friday, falling to host Virginia Tech (3-0) and then beating Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason favorite Coppin State (3-2).
Junior Avrey Rigney paced the offense with 22 kills over the two contests. Junior Nadia Miller added 15 kills and team-high eight blocks. The defense was led by junior Lesley Furuta, who totaled 32 digs and added four aces.
Match 1: Virginia Tech 3, Kent State 0 (20-25, 24-26, 23-25)
The Golden Flashes battled for the majority of all three sets but were unable to get on the board against the Hokies in a match that had 26 ties and nine lead changes.
Avrey Rigney posted a kill on the opening point of the match and Kent State had its largest lead of the set at 18-16 before Virginia Tech scored straight points and closed with a 9-2 run.
After trailing 15-12 at the media timeout, the Flashes rallied to lead by two points late. The Hokies won the next two points to pull even and appeared to take the lead, but a successful challenge reverse a call and put Kent State ahead 23-22. Following a VT point, Nadia Miller gave the Flashes a chance to score set point with a kill, but the Hokies won the next three points for a 2-0 lead.
The Flashes came out determined not to fall in straight sets and took an early 5-1 advantage. VT fought back and led by as many as five points, but Kent State continued battling and pulled even at 23-23. The Hokies posted kills on the next two points to conclude the sweep.
Kent State finished the match with a .157 hitting percentage compared to just a .124 mark by the host. Virginia Tech hit better than that in 29 of 33 matches last season.
Nadia Miller led the Flashes with eight kills and four blocks. Avrey Rigney was right behind on the attack with seven kills. Christina Vigil totaled 17 assists and Lesley Furuta tallied a team-high 13 digs.
Match 2: Kent State 3, Coppin State 2 (25-21, 22-25, 27-25, 13-25, 15-12)
The Flashes used a 10-2 run midway through the opening set to strike first and led 22-21 in the second on a kill by Nadia Miller, but a service error followed. The Eagles took advantage of the mistake and posted a kill, an ace and another kill on the next three points to even the match.
Kent State battled back from a 17-8 deficit in the third and tied it at 24-24 on a kill by Adalynn Ginley, who then teamed with Mercedez Brown for a block on the next point and a 25-24 lead. Coppin State won the following point for the fifth tie of the set, but the Flashes went to Vanessa Imoh for kills on the next two points to win 27-25.
The Flashes secured the first two points in the fourth on kills by Rigney, but the Eagles controlled the rest of the set and won 25-13.
After ties at 10 of the first 11 points in the fifth, Lesley Furuta recorded her third ace of the match gave Kent State its first multi-point lead at 13-11. A service error made it a one-point margin again, but Imoh gave the Flashes the first chance at match point with a cross-court swing that found the floor. Coppin State sent its first attack of the next point wide of the boundary for a 15-12 KSU victory.
Avrey Rigney posted new career-highs for both kills (15) and digs (7). Vanessa Imoh added 10 kills for her first double-digit performance as a Flash. Christina Vigil led the way with 32 assists and Jordyn Anderson added 10 assists in her college debut.
Lesley Furuta tallied a career-high 19 digs to lead the defense.
Up Next for the Flashes
Kent State will conclude the opening weekend of the season on Saturday against William & Mary. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m.
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