KENT, Ohio – Kent State made sure the seniors would be sent out in style by beating Buffalo 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-20) Saturday night in the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes defense shown through for the second-straight match as they out-blocked the Bulls 11-2.
“This team just fights and scraps,” explained head coach Glen Conley. “That is the chemistry we have talked about all season: the trust that we will not let the ball drop. Good chemistry shows through and we are looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Senior Arjola Prenga tallied her 15th double-double of the season with 15 kills and 11 assists. Classmate Jenny Keck added 32 kills while junior Kristin Barr dug out 15 Buffalo attacks. Sophomore Liva Brivule had 10 kills and five blocks.
Abby Niekamp led the Bulls with eight kills.
Kent State held a slim 19-16 late in the first set before Keck’s serve, as it has so many times this season, dashed any Buffalo hope of a set win. Prenga started the 5-0 run with a kill before three UB errors gave Kent State its biggest lead in the set, 22-16. An ace and a Prenga kill put an exclamation point on the run and put the home team on set point. Buffalo answered back with a kill, but a Prenga ended the set with a smash of her own.
In the second set, both teams went back and forth and it looked like Buffalo would tie the match when a KSU error put UB on set point up 24-23. But, Tori Beckman hit the serve into the net and Prenga added an ace to put the Flashes on set point.
It looked like Buffalo denied the Kent State, but Keck dove for the ball and KSU was able to keep the point alive. A UB attack was blocked before Kristin Bignell’s attempt sailed wide as Kent State won the point and set.
Buffalo regrouped after the intermission, but Kent State and Barr made sure the match would end in straight sets. With the frame tied at 12, Barr stepped to the service box and rotated short and long serves to force four Buffalo attack errors. The 5-0 run ended on a Marissa Hornbaker kill, but she gave the point right back to KSU on a service error. Buffalo pulled within 23-20, but a UB service error and a kill by sophomore Maigan Larsen ended the match.
After the match, Conley talked about what the seniors will mean to Kent State volleyball. “We’re going to put a MAC Championship banner up in the gym and a big reason will be this year’s seniors. The class weathered storms of last season and came back this year. For this season, I liked what I saw tonight and our chances going forward the rest of the season.” Kent State looks to clinch a first-round home game in the MAC Tournament next weekend when it travels to Bowling Green Thursday night. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
Courtesy: Matt Bliss
