WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

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KENT, OH - The University at Buffalo volleyball team easily took game one, 30-19, but then dropped the next three games, 30-18, 30-27, 30-14, to fall to host Kent State by a 3-1 margin tonight in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams. Junior Nikki Morzenti (Safety Harbor, FL/Clearwater) led Buffalo with 13 kills and 13 digs for her fifth straight double-double.

Nikki Morzenti

Buffalo (7-6 overall, 0-1 MAC) outhit Kent State (5-7 overall, 1-0 MAC) .417 to .024 en route to an easy 11-point win in game one behind the play of junior Jenna Mapé (Calgary, Alberta/Father Lacombe) who led the Bulls with six kills and three blocks, including one solo. The Golden Flashes, however, turned the tables in game two and hit .433 compared to the Bulls' .125 to even the match at one game apiece with a 30-18 win.

Game three proved to be the pivotal game in the match, with Kent State eventually squeaking out a 30-27 come-from-behind win to gain the upper hand. The Bulls built a six-point cushion, 19-13, but the Golden Flashes stormed back to tie the game at 24-24 on a service ace by Anja Knabe-Paulsen. She followed with another ace to give Kent State a 25-24 lead, and following a Buffalo timeout, the Golden Flashes rattled off five kills over the next eight plays to end the game at 30-27. Buffalo then hit -.083 in game four while KSU hit .464 with 15 kills on 28 attempts for an easy 30-14 win to end the match.

Jenna Mapé

In addition to Morzenti, Mapé also recorded a double-double with 11 kills, 11 digs and four blocks. Senior Katie Weekley (Dayton, OH/Chaminade-Julienne) and junior Brandie Clark (Medicine Hat, Alberta/Medicine Hat) each had eight kills, and junior Lauren Burd (York, PA/Central York) added six kills and a match-high six blocks. Senior Amy Brown (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) had 36 assists, six digs and two blocks, and sophomore Lizaiha Garcia (Dayton, OH/Beavercreek) finished with a team-high 19 digs.

The Golden Flashes were led by Danielle Holt with 23 kills, seven digs and four service aces. Anne Butts had 36 assists and 15 digs, and Laura Jensen had a match-high 24 digs. The Golden Flashes finished the match with a .228 hitting percentage compared to Buffalo's .152, and they had 13 service aces compared to the Bulls' four. Buffalo had the advantage in blocks, 10-8.

The Bulls are next at Ohio on Saturday for a 6 pm match. The defending MAC champion Bobcats are currently receiving votes in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll, and they own the nation's longest active home court winning streak at 30 matches following a 3-0 win over Akron tonight.