On Thursday, the Kent State volleyball team was winning against Eastern Michigan two sets to none – just one more set win, and the Flashes would be on their way to their second win this season.

The team was unable to close out any of the last three sets, so the team lost to EMU 3-2 for its 10th loss of the season.

Kent State lost against EMU the next day, as well, as KSU fell in back-to-back games to Eastern Michigan.

On Thursday, the Flashes started the game hot, winning the first two sets 25-15 and 25-22. The Flashes were ultimately unable to hold on to this momentum, losing the game three sets to two (25-21, 25-17, 15-9). 

“I wish I could dig in (the players’) brains,” coach Haley Eckerman said when asked about the momentum swing. 

With the two losses to Eastern Michigan, the Flashes now sit at 1-11 on the year. They have lost eight in a row, and remain at the bottom of the Mid-American Conference standings. 

Leading the way for the Flashes was junior outside hitter Mackenzie McGuire with 19 kills, followed by sophomore outside hitter Logan Henderson with 11 kills and senior right sider Anna Shoemake with 10 kills.

Junior Libero and McCook transfer Greta Bolognini has been a bright spot this year for the Flashes. Bolognini posted 22 digs on Thursday for KSU.

The momentum swayed from the Flashes to the Eagles in the third set, with EMU asserting itself with separate 8-1 and 6-1 runs. 

“I don’t know if we believe in ourselves,” Eckerman said. 

On Friday, the Flashes lost three close sets to the Eagles (25-15, 25-22, 25-18). McGuire led the team in kills on back-to-back nights, posting 10 on the night. 

Bolognini continued her season-long dominance by posting a team-high 14 digs. Bolognini’s team-leading dig total is now at 173. 

McGuire leads the Flashes this season in kills with 83. 

“She’s (McGuire) back to her normal self. She’s overthinking a lot less,” Eckerman said. 

The Flashes dealt with a problem that has been plaguing the team all year: winning in close games. KSU battled with Eastern Michigan, with each set being tightly contested up into the high teens. 

Friday’s first set was knotted at 11, and set two was battled up until the Eagles led 23-21. However, the Flashes struggled in crunch time, allowing the Eagles to go on an 11-3 run in Set 1  and a 2-1 run in set 2 in key moments. 

“We’ll try to create some mental drills in close situations,” Eckerman said. 

The Flashes continue MAC play in a set of away games Friday and Saturday against the Buffalo Bulls.

“We get to 15 (points), and this happens every weekend,” Eckerman said. 

Gage Wellman is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected] or @GageWellmanKSTV on X.