The Youngstown State volleyball team used a strong defensive effort over the final three sets for its first-ever road victory over Kent State on Friday at the M.A.C. Center. The set scores were 18-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-21.
Josi Borum collected her third triple-double of the season to lead the charge for the Penguins, who finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 5-6 record. YSU was 0-12 previously against the Golden Flashes in Kent.
Borum had 17 kills, 17 assists and 15 digs for her nation-leading third triple-double. She had 15 of those kills over the final three sets to help the Penguins rally against their closest Division I opponent. Jazmin Vergara added 11 kills, and Abbie Householder posted 10.
While the three individuals finishing with at least 10 kills was impressive, YSU's defense came up big in the victory. The Penguins registered a season-high 14 blocks, with middle blockers Dayan Malave and Julia Sell leading the way with seven apiece. Isidora Sisic posted a match-high 18 digs.
Kent State outside hitter Mackenzie McGuire had a career-high 28 kills on just 49 attempts, but the Penguins were able to force her into errors down the stretch as they rallied. McGuire had 13 kills before her first error, and YSU held her to 15 kills against eight errors the rest of the way.
McGuire had 10 kills in 12 swings in the opening set as Kent State hit .486 as a team to win 25-18. YSU hit .333 to show that there was potential offensively, and the Penguins ended up hitting .217 for the match.
Kent State was on track to take a 2-0 lead in the match with a 17-10 lead in the second set before YSU rallied out of a timeout. Gabriela Machin's kill gave YSU a sideout and sparked a 5-0 run that got the Penguins back into the set. McGuire's 17th kill put Kent State up 24-22, but the Penguins scored the set's final four points to steal a 26-24 win. Sell and Householder blocked Logan Henderson on the final point.
The Golden Flashes then led 20-15 in the third set before the Penguins showed grit once again to rally. YSU tied the set at 21 on a kill by Vergara, and a kill by Borum gave the Guins their second lead of the set at 23-22. After Kent State tied the score on a Burgundy Walters kill, an attack error and an ace by Jocelyn Jourdan gave YSU a 25-23 set win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Penguins didn't need their late heroics in the fourth set as they led for the majority and pulled ahead 21-16 with a 7-2 run. Kent State got no closer than three, and Borum finished off the victory with a kill on YSU's third match-point opportunity.
Youngstown State will begin Horizon League play on Tuesday by hosting Northern Kentucky at 6 p.m. in Beeghly Center.
