With only two matches left in regular season play, coach Denise Van De Walle still isn’t quite sure if the volleyball team has peaked.

But after tonight, she’ll have an answer.

Kent State (13-15, 6-8 Mid-American Conference) will be at Anderson Arena tonight at 7 p.m. to take on the Falcons (11-18, 4-10 MAC).

‘Recently, this is the best volleyball we’ve played as a team,’ Van De Walle said. ‘If it took the embarrassing 25-5 loss [last Saturday] to wake up, we’ll take it.’

The Golden Flashes just recently snapped a five-match losing streak when they swept Buffalo and Akron last weekend. The win gave them a home match in the opening round of the MAC tournament.

Kent’s Arjola Prenga has been tough for opponents to handle this season as she ranks among the top-30 in the country with 4.29 kills per set. Liva Brivule is also a threat as she posts an average of 3.04 kills per set.

‘Those two get the job done,’ Van De Walle said. ‘Anyone who watches them will be able to see that.’

As a team, Kent blocks really well, averaging an impressive 2.58 blocks per set.

Van De Walle thought this week’s practice was about the same as any other.

‘It was OK,’ she said. ‘This season, the team personality has been on the quiet side. It was good and solid, so probably about the same as every other week.’

But something was a little different this week.

Senior Shari Luther is now in the NCAA’s top 25 in attack percentage this week. She leads the MAC with a 3.75 hitting percentage.

Van De Walle thinks a lot of her middle hitter and her accomplishment.

‘She’s always consistent and there’s never any drama with her,’ Van De Walle said. ‘The team respects her a lot and she doesn’t make a lot of mistakes.’

Van De Walle knows Luther and the rest of the Falcons are ready for Kent.

‘It’s going to be a battle,’ she said. ‘They’re a very good, physical team. They play very hard. We’ve got a lot of fight and character out on the floor, so I think we’re ready.”