NORFOLK, Va. -- The Kent State volleyball team finished its first weekend of competition strong, knocking off Navy in a 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-21) sweep and downing Norfolk State, 3-1 (25-11, 20-25, 25-23, 25-16), today (Aug. 28) in the Spartan Classic.

The Golden Flashes (3-1) took three of their four matches at Joseph Echols Hall on the Norfolk State campus this weekend, sweeping Providence College for its first season opening victory since 2007 before falling to UNC Greensboro on Friday (Aug. 27). Junior Maigan Larsen (Lancaster, Wis.) was named to the Spartan Classic All-Tournament Team after posting 34 kills and five service aces in the season opening tournament.

Kent State 3, Navy 0

KSU came out attacking and rolled to a sweep of the Midshipmen.

The Golden Flashes (2-1) posted an attack percentage of .326 for the match and set the tone in the first set with a 12-point triumph over the Midshipmen in which KSU hit .464. Sophomore Zuzana Markova (Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic) dished out 24 assists for the second time in as many days and tallied a career-high five service aces. Junior Liva Brivule (Riga, Latvia) and sophomore Meredith Paskert (Brecksville, Ohio) led the way with eight kills apiece while Larsen chipped in seven.

Larsen set the pace by opening the first set with a kill. Navy tied things up courtesy of a service error, but it was all Flashes from there on out the rest of the set. Kent State extended its advantage to 21-9 after back-to-back kills by Brivule and Paskert. Navy answered back with four straight kills but a service error and an attack error by the Midshipmen set the stage for freshman Zane Malasevska (Riga, Latvia) and Markova to close the set out with a kill and a service ace, respectively.

The Flashes and Midshipmen wrestled back and forth for the lead in the early going of the second set before Paskert broke a four-all tie with a kill and gave the Flashes the lead for good. Navy continued to nip at KSU's heels, though, pulling the score to 15-14, but a service error and four straight attack errors unraveled its comeback efforts.

Navy seemed determined to deny Kent State of a sweep in the third set, staying step-for-step with the Flashes. Clinging to 20-19 edge, KSU took advantage of a service error and three straight attack errors, the last of which was finished off by a block by Larsen and senior Celia Sabo (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.). Larsen then clinched the match victory with a kill.

Kent State 3, Norfolk State 1

KSU's match with the host Spartans was highlighted by another strong first set by the Flashes, one in which the squad hit .481. The Flashes responded to some adversity after losing the second set by five, snatching a two-point victory in set three and finishing off NSU with a six-point win in the fourth.

Brivule led the way offensively by registering a personal season-best 12 kills with Sabo (9) and Paskert (8) rounding out the attack. Markova set the offense up with a team season-high 32 assists. Larsen and senior Kristen Barr (Bowling Green, Ohio) both recorded double-digit digs with 11 and 10, respectively.

The Spartans tied the opening set at four-all with a kill, but three kills by Sabo highlighted a string of nine straight points by the Flashes. KSU closed out the set with a 12-6 scoring run.

NSU responded in the second set by breaking a 20-all tie with five straight points to even the match up.

The third set was another nail biter. A ball handling error by the Flashes gave the Spartans a 23-22 lead and forced Kent State to take a timeout. KSU answered the challenge as an attack error that was finished off by a block by Markova and Brivule knotted the score again. Another NSU attack error followed by a Larsen service ace clinched the set win for the Golden Flashes.

Runs of seven and five consecutive points in the fourth set allowed Kent State to keep NSU at bay and end the Spartan Classic with two straight match victories.

Kent State opens its home slate of matches Tuesday (Aug. 31) when it welcomes Pittsburgh to the M.A.C. Center.

Spartan Classic Results

Friday, Aug. 27

Kent State 3, Providence College 0

UNC Greensboro 3, Navy

Norfolk State 3, Providence College 1

UNC Greensboro 3, Kent State 1

Norfolk State 3, Navy 0

Saturday, Aug. 28

Kent State 3, Navy 0

UNC Greensboro 3, Norfolk State 2

Navy 3, Providence College 1

Kent State 3, Norfolk State 1

UNC Greensboro 3, Providence College 1

Tournament Champion: UNC Greensboro

Spartan Classic All-Tournament Team

Olivia Humphries, UNC Greensboro (Most Outstanding Player)

Arielle Knafel, Norfolk State

Maida Kalic', Navy

Maigan Larsen, Kent State

Lauren Fletcher, Providence College

Ariel Newman, UNC Greensboro