KENT, OH - Toledo continued its recent success against Kent State on Friday evening with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-23, 25-16) sweep of the Golden Flashes. The Rockets have now won five straight matches vs. KSU, including two in a row in the M.A.C. Center.
Junior MB Bailey Blank spearheaded UT's balanced attack with 10 kills and .400 attack percentage. Sophomore RSH Becca Reidy contributed eight kills (.412 ATK%), while junior MB Bethany Irwin (.583 ATK%) and sophomore OH Jordan Kielty (.160 ATK%) each tallied seven terminations.
Junior S Kassie Kadera helped the Rockets (7-12, 2-5 MAC) to an impressive .319 team hitting mark by collecting 36 assists. She also notched a team-high 13 digs. Blank was UT's top defensive performer at the net with a season-best four blocks, including a pair of solo rejections.
Tina Aderemi-Ibitola led Kent State (8-13, 1-6 MAC) with eight kills.
UT took control of the opening set relatively early, surging to a 14-6 advantage thanks to a 7-0 spurt keyed by Irwin's two kills and a block. The Rockets didn't let up and extended their lead to 23-9 before settling for a 25-12 Set 1 win. Reidy was Toledo's top performer in the set with four kills and a .667 hitting mark.
The second set was much closer but UT was able to head off each Golden Flash rally at every turn. Back-to-back Reidy kills provided Toledo with a 12-11 lead that it didn't relinquish. After KSU evened the score at 23-23 late, Blank and junior OH Sondra Parys provided the Rockets with a 2-0 advantage heading into the break. Blank was UT's performer in this set with seven kills and a perfect 1.000 ATK%.
UT eliminated any hopes of a KSU comeback in Set 3 by taking control early and never letting the hosts establish momentum. A 4-1 run provided Toledo a 13-8 cushion, and the Rockets' lead didn't fall below three points the rest of the way.
Toledo will now head to Athens, OH to battle MAC East Division leader Ohio at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15. The Bobcats (14-7, 6-1) suffered their first conference setback tonight with a 3-1 loss to MAC West Division frontrunner Ball State.
