The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Volleyball Looking to Improve on Fast Start
September 05 | Women's Volleyball
Fresh off a second place showing at the Sheraton Hilton
Invitational, the University of Akron volleyball team (6-1) will
head to the Wolfpack Invitational this weekend in Raleigh, N.C. The
Zips will face Dartmouth Friday at 5 p.m. before taking on East
Carolina at Noon and host N.C. State at 7 p.m. Saturday.
TEAM NOTES
• The Zips' 6-1 start to the season marks their best
start in three years.
• Akron's lone setback this season has been a straight sets
decision to undefeated Ole Miss, who received consideration for the
AVCA Top 25 this week.
• UA begins its longest road swing of the season this weekend
with the first of six straight matches away from Rhodes Arena.
• Akron continues to dominate the net and leads the
Mid-American Conference with an average of 2.9 blocks per game. The
Zips have posted 73 blocks overall, including 35 solos.
• As a team, UA is fourth in the MAC in hitting percentage
(.232), third in opponents' hitting percentage (.148), third in
service aces (2.0/game) and fourth in digs (18.4/game).
PLAYER NOTES
• Sophomore Brionna Patterson (Sandusky, Ohio/Sandusky)
was named to her second all-tournament team in as many weeks
Saturday at the Sheraton Hilton Invitational. The outside hitter
posted 15 or more kills in each contest against Wright State, Ole
Miss and Syracuse and eclipsed 20 kills and 20 digs for the first
time in her young career with 20 kills and a personal-best 23 digs
against the Raiders. Overall, Patterson leads the Mid-American
Conference with 114 kills and is second with an average of 4.56
kills per game. She is also second in the league with 14 service
aces.
• Joining Patterson on the all-tournament squad was sophomore
setter Kara Smith (Secor, Ill./El Paso-Gridley), who set
up the Zips defense with 141 assists this past weekend. She was at
her best in the Zips' five-game victory against Wright State with a
career-high 63 assists, 16 digs and three kills. Smith is sixth in
the conference with an average of 11.60 assists per game –
more than two full assists from her 2006 mark (9.49).
• Freshman Jess Antosz (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler Area) and
junior Abby Varterasian (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti)
have been a force up front for the Zips, accounting for 60 total
blocks through seven matches. Antosz leads the team with 32 (13
solo), followed closely by Varterasian, who has posted 28 (12
solo).
• Junior Jennifer Stewart (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood)
continues to impress in her first season back on the court with an
average of 5.24 digs per game, which ranks her fifth in the
league.
• Not to be outdone, senior Shayla
Gilbert (Lorain, Ohio/Admiral King) turned in a strong
performance this weekend with a personal-high 21 digs against
Wright State. Gilbert, who eased her way back onto the floor last
season after a serious knee injury sidetracked her in 2005,
followed that up with a 14-dig showing in a three-game match
against Ole Miss.
• Sophomore Elizabeth Martin (Lowell, Ind./Lowell), who
appears to be on the verge of a breakout season, put together
arguably her most complete outing in a Zips uniform Friday against
Wright State. The outside hitter racked up a career-best 23 kills,
while hitting a superb .317, to go along with 13 digs to record a
team-high 25.5 points.
OPPONENTS – AT A GLANCE
The following is a quick look at the
Zips' competition this weekend. Akron will play Dartmouth during
the first day of the Wolfpack Invitational Friday at 5 p.m. before
facing East Carolina at Noon and host N.C. State at 7 p.m.
Saturday. For a complete schedule of events, click here.
Dartmouth
All-Time Series: 1-0 since 1991
Conference: Ivy League
2007 Record: 0-0
Notes: Will open their season against the Zips Friday ...
went 12-12 overall last season and 6-8 in league play for a
fourth-place finish ... return eight letterwinners, after losing
one.
East Carolina
All-Time Series: 1-0 since 2001
Conference: Conference USA
2007 Record: 3-5
Notes: Defeated Campbell (3-1) in their last match
Wednesday before heading to the Wolfpack Invitational ... suffered
losses to No. 18 Duke (3-0) and No. 13 Purdue (3-0) in first two
matches ... defeated by Kent State (3-1) last weekend.
N.C. State
All-Time Series: 2-1 since 1994
Conference: Atlantic Coast
2007 Record: 3-4
Notes: Won three of first four matches before dropping its
last three ... took straight-set defeats to No. 19 Santa Clara and
No. 7 Florida before dropping a decision to Georgia Southern (3-1)
last weekend ... 18-player roster features 10 freshmen.
