Youngstown, Ohio — Behind its best offensive performance of the season, the Youngstown State volleyball team emphatically opened a refreshed Zidian Arena at Beeghly Center with a sweep of Kent State on Friday evening. The set scores were 25-20, 25-12, 25-13 as the Penguins earned their first sweep of the Golden Flashes in 43 years.
Junior outside hitter Abbie Householder posted 13 kills on a .407 attack percentage, and YSU hit a season-best .284 collectively playing on their home floor for the first time in 2024. The Penguins just began practicing in Beeghly Center on Monday as the arena received new seats and improvements to the videoboard and sound system over the summer.
An energetic crowd coming to see the new-look gym and the first home match under head coach Riley Jarrett were treated to an impressive showing by the Red and White. The Penguins held a 36-23 edge in the kills column, and Kent State had more attack errors than kills. Nyia Setla keyed the defense with a match-high 17 digs, and Julia Sell was in on three of YSU's five blocks.
In addition to Householder's 13 kills, senior Kiyah Franklin posted seven on 17 swings, and Sell and fellow middle blocker Dayan Malave combined for 10 kills in 21 attempts. Isabel Schaefbauer distributed 29 assists.
Mackenzie McGuire had eight kills and three errors on 21 attempts for Kent State, but the rest of the Golden Flashes combined for 15 kills and 23 errors in 72 swings. The Penguins held Kent State to 13 kills while forcing 20 errors over the final two sets.
Youngstown State raced out to a 15-8 lead in the opening set after back-to-back Malave kills and an ace by Householder. The Golden Flashes scored seven straight points out of the media timeout behind three aces from Greta Bolognini, but YSU never trailed. The score was tied at 16, 17 and 18 before YSU closed the set on a 7-2 run.
Kent State led 7-4 early in the second set following a kill by Anna Shoemake, but the Penguins quickly flipped the deficit and won 25-12. YSU went on a 9-0 behind Malave's serve to extend a 12-10 advantage into a 21-10 margin.
In the third, the Golden Flashes built a 4-1 lead before the Penguins cruised to a 25-13 win. After the 4-1 deficit, YSU went on a 13-2 run to go up 14-6. Householder then had three kills in a four-point stretch, and Setla followed with an ace to push the margin to 20-7.
Youngstown State will host three more matches in the Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center during this four-match homestand. Next, the Penguins will take on Mercyhurst on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
