Bulls Drop Five-Setter At Kent State

Saturday, October 23

Kent, OH

4:00 pm

10-13,3-8MAC

Kent State

10-13,5-6MAC

Buffalo

Kent St.

Bulls Drop Five-Setter At Kent State

10/23/2021 7:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

KENT, OH – For the second straight day the University at Buffalo volleyball team played a five set match against the Kent State Golden Flashes, but unlike last night the Bulls were unable to come away with the victory as Kent State took the contest, 3-2.

The Golden Flashes took the match 20-25, 25-22, 27-29, 25-21, 15-12 as both team hit an identical .235. UB opened the night on a roll as the Bulls scored the first six points of the first set. UB extended the lead to 23-15, but four straight Kent State points triggered the Buffalo timeout. A block from Emma Gielas and Stacia Gollogly claimed the opening set.

The Golden Flashes tied things up with a victory in set two, but Buffalo again took the lead winning a big third set. Buffalo led 19-15, but the Golden Flashes came back to take a 24-21 lead. However, the Bulls scored the next four points, to actually take a set point of their own. Kent State fought that off and then the Bulls fought off two more Kent State set points. A pair of kills from Milla Malik late gave the Bulls the 29-27 win in the set.

The two teams were tied at 19-19 in the fourth set before Kent State went on a 6-2 run late to take the set and force a fifth for the second straight night. Buffalo had to face adversity right off the back in the fifth set as a pair of challenges went against UB, giving Kent State the early 6-2 lead. Buffalo would climb back within two multiple times in the set, but could never breakthrough as Kent State took it, 15-12.

Gielas led the Bulls with 18 kills, one of four players in double figures. Courtney Okwara added 16 kills as she hit .361 and Malik had 15 kills, hitting .302 for the match. Freshman Maria Futey chipped in 14 kills and Gollogly added nine.

Freshman setter Mandy Leigh dished out 59 assists and added two kills as well.

Defensively, junior Jenna Sonnenberg had a team-high 23 digs, while Leigh added 15 and Malik had 12. Futey also finished with a double-double with 10 digs. Okwara paced the way with five blocks as four Bulls finished with at least three blocks in the match.

The Bulls return to action on Friday night at Eastern Michigan.