The Kent State volleyball team dropped a two-game set over two days, falling to 1-7 on the season on its way to a four-game losing streak. 

Friday, the Flashes played a tough three sets against the Xavier Musketeers. The Flashes showed signs of heart and even pushed the second set beyond the target score before ultimately falling three sets to none (25-22, 29-27, 25-17). 

“We do well for the first ten to fifteen points,” coach Haley Eckerman said. ”We hit fifteen (points) and can’t finish a set. We couldn’t put the ball away.” That rang especially true in the final set against Xavier. 

The Flashes then faced off against the Cincinnati Bearcats Saturday. The Flashes played a close first set before falling silently and losing three sets to none (25-22, 25-19, 25-14) for the fourth time this season. 

“Our block wasn’t great,” Eckerman said. “We have to set up a good block so that our defenders can actually work around it to be able to make some digs.”

The Flashes struggled with multiple facets of the game against Cincinnati, especially hitting percentage. KSU had 34 kills compared to 14 errors (in 103 attempts), ultimately leaving the game with a hitting percentage of 19.4%. 

With the loss to the Bearcats, the Flashes have dropped seven of their first eight games of the 2024 campaign. They are now last place in the Mid-American Conference standings. 

The overall attitude of the team was something Eckerman focused on after the losses.

“We have moments of aggression,” Eckerman said.

The Flashes will look to harness aggression in the first home game of the year. KSU will play against Cleveland State at 6 p.m. Thursday in the M.A.C. Center. 

“We are trying to leave a legacy,” Eckerman said. “We have to ring the bell and protect our house.”

Gage Wellman is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].