Bulls Snatch Huge MAC East Win Over Kent State

Thursday, October 20

Buffalo, NY

6:00 pm

12-10,4-6MAC

Kent State

12-9,3-7MAC

Kent St.

Buffalo

Bulls Snatch Huge MAC East Win Over Kent State

10/20/2022 9:23:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo women's volleyball team (12-10, 4-6 MAC) came up huge against Kent State (12-9, 3-7 MAC) on Thursday evening. In the only Thursday night #MACtion game, the Bulls came out victorious in a clean sweep against the Kent State Golden Flashes, 25-21, 25-12, 25-21. UB improves to 6-2 at home this season with six home games remaining.

In total, there were just 10 ties and 2 lead changes as UB dominated from start to finish.

Kent State struggled on the attack as they finished with a minuscule .091 hitting percentage, compared to the Bulls' .244. In the second set, the Golden Flashes finished with a negative hitting percentage at -.115.

In the most back and forth set of the match, the Bulls never trailed in the first set. Emma Gielas led the team with six kills while hitting at a rate of .545. In total, there were 15 UB kills.

In the second set, the Bulls would gain a 9-point lead and not look back. In the rally, Katrin Trebichavska had three aces in a row forcing a Kent State timeout. UB received nine of their points off Kent State attack errors. In the set, the Bulls had four total blocks from Abby Leigh, Olivia DeBortoli, Mandy Leigh, and Emma Gielas.

To start the third set, the Bulls took a 5-0 lead, but that would fade away as Kent State took a 12-9 lead. Those three points were the Golden Flashes' largest lead on the night. Once again, Gielas led the set in kills with seven.

M. Leigh closed out the evening with 32 assists, good for 10.67 per set. Maria Futey finished with 23 digs with many of them being point blank saves.

"Really great win for us tonight, I thought we did a great job slowing down all their outside and their right side," stated Head Coach Scott Smith "We went into this knowing that this is an important match for us in the standings to create some separation on the east side of the conference. Really great night for Emma Gielas, Cali Assaley came through at the end. They're getting some really good kills and Abby Leigh was consistent as always provide a lot of offense and blocking. I think from the service line, we really stepped it up tonight. We continued to put a lot of pressure on them and limited our errors."

For the standings, UB now leaps Kent State for third in the MAC East. The two teams will be back at it tomorrow as they'll square off in Alumni Arena at 6 p.m. Catch the action on ESPN+.