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WINSTON-SALEN, N.C. – Kennesaw State volleyball split two games on Saturday, sweeping NC Central 3-0 before losing a tough battle against the host Wake Forest Demon Deacons 3-1 to close out play at the Wake Forest Invitational in Reynolds Gymnasium.
GAME ONE RECAP – The Owls made quick work of NC Central, taking just an hour and 16 minutes to complete the 3-0 sweep, winning by scores of 25-9, 25-22, 25-18.
STAT OF THE GAME: KSU held a 9-2 edge on team blocks, and limited the Eagles to a .081 hitting percentage (27K-19E-99TA).
OWL OF THE GAME: In her first official collegiate game, freshman Manu Johnson led all Owls in kills with nine and digs with 13. She also added an ace and two block assists.
NOTES
-Other Owls shinning included freshman Maggie Butkovich with six kills in her first start. Jasmine Brown led all players with seven blocks, along with six kills, and Chelsey Abel added seven kills.
-KSU moved to 2-0 all-time against NC Central.
GAME TWO RECAP – The Owls jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to winning set one 25-20. Set two was a one-point game at 13-12, before the Demon Deacons reeled off a 6-0 run to take control for a 25-18 victory. Then came two highly contested sets. KSU held a 21-19 edge in set three but Wake Forest answered back and took a 24-23 advantage. The Owls tied the set, but gave up the next two points to fall 26-24. Set four saw several wild swings, with the home team grabbing a big 10-1 early lead. KSU wouldn't go away, slowly chipping away at the margin. With the Owls down 14-7, they scored 15 of the next 22 points to go ahead 22-21. KSU then held set point twice at 24-23 and 25-24 but couldn't get the second point. Three straight attack errors gave the match to Wake Forest.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Owls were held to a .128 hitting percentage or lower in each of the final three sets, and .172 (45K-22E-135TA) for the game.
QUOTEABLE: "Overall it was a good first weekend. We earned two wins and have a lot of things to build on for sure. But tonight's match was frankly a wasted opportunity against a good team, but a very beatable squad. We started off hot but once we lost rhythm in set two we just never got comfortable again. We had no answer for their two left sides and offensively we couldn't get going in sets 2, 3 or 4. This was our first road environment of the season and individually and collectively we will need to respond better to play at the level of a championship team." – KSU head coach Keith Schunzel
NOTES:
- Leading the Owls in kills were Brown and Johnson, both with nine each. Dani Ballou and Claire Parsons meanwhile both added eight.
-McKinley Ferguson led the team in assists (33), Brown had a team-high six blocks, while Ferguson and Shelby Dennis both had a team-high nine digs.
-This was the first meeting ever between Kennesaw State and Wake Forest on the volleyball court.
- The loss snapped the Owls' 13-game regular-season win streak. The last time KSU lost a regular season game was on Oct. 8, 2021, 3-0 at FGCU.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls come back to Kennesaw for a three-game homestand, starting with their home opener on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7 pm in the Convocation Center against Furman.
