Kent State University
Akron
Kent State Volleyball Hosts Rival Akron for MAC Opener on Wednesday
9/22/2026 12:24:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Kent State volleyball opens Mid-American Conference action on Wednesday and hosts rival Akron at the M.A.C. Center at 6 p.m. The Golden Flashes will then visit Buffalo on Friday at 6 p.m.
Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Wednesday, September 23
6 p.m. Kent State vs. Akron (ESPN+)
Friday, September 25
6 p.m. Kent State at Buffalo (ESPN+)
PREVIEWING THE FLASHES
The Golden Flashes (6-5) beat Cleveland State in the home opener last Thursday and then fell to Youngstown State on Friday to finish the with the best non-conference record since 2022.
Senior Mercedez Brown is coming off her best performance in a Kent State uniform with a career-high 21 kills and a .333 hitting performance against the Penguins. Brown has recorded 11 or more kills in five consecutive matches and leads the team with an average of 2.67 kills per set.
Junior Nadia Miller (1.76 kills per set) and redshirt junior Adalynn Ginley (1. 58 kills per set) have been efficient options in the middle, combining for more than 100 kills this season.
Senior Christina Vigil ranks fourth in the MAC with an average of 7.47 assists per set. Vigil is also versatile as a defender and averages 1.74 digs per set and 0.40 blocks per set.
Lesley Furuta is having a breakout junior campaign in the libero jersey. Furuta ranks third in the conference with an average of 4.12 digs per set, and 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 (14).
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Akron
The Zips (5-7) closed non-conference play strong with wins in three of the final four matches. All-MAC outside hitter Delaney Gash leads the attack with 3.09 kills per set. Middle blocker Chidera Ozoh ranks 15th in the nation with a .447 hitting percentage and posts averages of 2.17 kills and 1.06 blocks per set.
Buffalo
The Bulls (8-3) have swept three consecutive opponents, including Syracuse on Sunday. Outside hitter/right side Manoela Forlin earned Syracuse Invitational MVP honors and ranks fourth in the MAC at 3.46 kills per set. Outside hitter Hailey Campagna is another productive attacker and adds 3.00 kills per set. Setter Maddie Mitchell ranks second in the conference with 9.29 assists per set and leads Buffalo with 2.80 digs per set.
ALL-TIME VS. OPPONENTS
Kent State has won two consecutive rivalry matches and is 53-40 all-time in the series. The Golden Flashes are 12-2 at the M.A.C. Center dating back to the 2013 season.
The Flashes lead the all-time series with Buffalo, 37-21, and ended a six-match drought a season ago with a 3-0 sweep at the M.A.C. Center. Nine consecutive matches at Buffalo have gone only three sets.
UP NEXT FOR THE FLASHES
Kent State will start Homecoming week with home matches at the M.A.C. Center on Thursday, Oct. 1 and Friday, Oct. 2.
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