Kent State volleyball hosts Golden Flashes Classic

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Kent State volleyball players cheer in a game against Miami in the M.A.C. Center on Friday, Nov. 14, 2014. 

Jesse Runner Sports Reporter

The Kent State women’s volleyball team hosts the Golden Flashes Classic — a four team, six game tournament — beginning Friday versus Indiana State University in the M.A.C. Center.

The Flashes enter the tournament with a record of 2-2 after splitting games this past weekend at the Maryland Invite. Although the team ended the weekend with a 3-1 loss to the University of Maryland on Saturday, the team’s overall performance left coach Don Gromala pleased with the result.

“Overall, I am pleased with how our team performed today and the weekend as a whole,” Gromala said in the athletic department’s release. “We made some adjustments and mixed our lineup up a little after dropping the first set to Duquesne, and it really seemed to work out. We really like our depth, and it allows us to experiment with different combinations on the floor.”

Through the first four games of the season, Kent leads its opponents in digs (198), total blocks (29.5) and attack percentage (.229) and tied in kills (178). However, opponents have managed to land more assists (164), aces (27) and total errors (149.)

The game against Indiana State — the team entered the weekend with a 3-1 record — is the Flashes first home game of the season. The team played well at home last season, winning 9 of its last 12 (.750) at the M.A.C. Center and 16 of 23 (.695) over the past two years.

Kent State will also face Albany and Oakland universities in a doubleheader Saturday.

The Flashes have had recent success in the tournament and will look to continue the trend this weekend. Kent State has taken home the tournament championship twice over the last two years and has finished with a combined record of 6-0.

The Mid-American Conference named senior Bridget Wilhelm MAC East Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time in her career following her performance in the Maryland Invite.

Jesse Runner is a sports reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact him at jrunner1@kent.edu.