Senior middle blocker Sarah Wilber spikes the ball against MAC opponent Buffalo last night. The Golden Flashes lost the match 3 games to 1. BRIAN MARKS | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: John Proppe

It’s the horrible monster that’s akin to the boogey man who lived under your bed when you were a child. It’s the feared letdown and most annoying of annoyances in the sporting world.

Kent State’s volleyball team was letdown’s latest victim.

After tallying up three-straight 3-0 sweeps the Flashes (11-8, 4-3 Mid-American Conference) took a downward turn, losing to the Buffalo Bulls (13-10, 2-5 MAC) three games to one last night at the M.A.C. Center.

“Buffalo is a very dangerous team,” Kent State coach Mora Kanim said. “They’re a good team, and we’re coming off a big weekend, and so there’s always that fear of a letdown. And, tonight, that came to pass.”

Buffalo started the first game playing spoiler, getting to a surprising 11-2 lead.

The Bulls seemed to catch their hosts by surprise in the initial game with their ferocious offensive attack. Despite repeated attempts, Kent State could not seem to find an answer for Buffalo’s power surge.

Slowly, but surely, the Flashes crept back into the contest, rallying from a 26-20 deficit to square things up at 28, courtesy of setter Katie Veatch’s service ace. However, the Bulls pulled out a win.

“I think by the time we got it together a little bit, it was probably a little too late. I thought Buffalo did a good job scouting us. I thought they came out ready to play,” Kanim said. “I thought they exploited the things that are ripe for exploitation right now.”

Kent State kept things tight in the second game, as middle blocker Sarah Wilber traded kills with Buffalo. The Flashes pulled to within one point of the Bulls, but a combined five kills put Buffalo up 2-0 at the break.

Kanim fully expects her team to rebound tonight, when the Flashes host their second of four straight home matches, against Akron at 7 p.m.

Letdown taught the Flashes a lesson.

Contact sports reporter Mike Ashcraft at [email protected] and Frank Schaefer at [email protected].