The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Conclude Regular-Season With Five-Set Heartbreaker
November 15 | Women's Volleyball
- In a night that marked the accomplishments' of Akron's four
outstanding seniors, the Zips volleyball team (14-17, 5-11 MAC)
lost a heartbreaking five-set loss to the Ball State Cardinals
(14-15, 7-9 MAC) Saturday in the regular-season finale at James A.
Rhodes Arena.
With the loss, Akron is slated to travel to Ball State on Tuesday,
Nov. 17 for the opening round of the Mid-American Conference
tournament. In 2008, Akron picked up its first-ever win at BSU
claiming a 3-2 victory.
The contest started out close on the night as both teams went point
for point in the first set until Akron grabbed a 13-11 lead. A kill
and a service ace pushed the Cardinals to tie the frame at 13 and
they would never relinquish the lead claiming a 25-21 win. Despite
the loss, both teams posted stellar swinging averages as Ball State
struck a .406 hitting percentage while UA grabbed a .364.
Heading to set two, Akron took a quick 5-0 lead to get things
started pushing ahead to a eight-point advantage at the 20-12 mark.
Maintaining a solid lead throughout, the Cardinals closest mark
came at the 24-20 point but a kill by UA's Jackie Goleman secured
the 25-20 win. Unlike the first set, both squads strugged with
errors and Akron posted a .078 hitting average while BSU was held
to a .000 mark.
It was Ball State that came out with the big lead to begin the
third set as they went up 19-7 for the eventual 25-14 victory
striking 18 kills committing only two errors in the win.
The fourth set was a thriller for UA as up 12-9, a determined BSU
team would tie it at 12 and the two squads would battle back and
forth until UA regained the 16-14 lead. Continuing to fight, the
Cardinals tied it at the 16th and 19th point and would post a lead
following the 19th point going up 23-21. Sophomore Courtney
Jarvis would prove to be the difference maker as back-to-back
kills tied the contest at 23. After a BSU timeout, a Cardinal error
and another kill by Jarvis gave UA the 25-23 win and pushed the
Zips to their 11th fifth-set contest.
In the deciding set, Akron took a 4-1 lead but two BSU kills and a
UA attack error tied the contest at four. The teams would battle to
a 5-5 tie, which was ensued by a BSU 5-1 run for the 10-6 lead.
Posting a .409 hitting mark in the set, Ball State held UA to three
points the rest of the frame for the 15-9 win.
In the loss, four Zips notched double-figure digs led by freshman
Chelsea
Harvey who posted a career-high 34 digs in the backcourt.
Sophomore Courtney Jarvis and senior
Megan
Rodriguez followed with 14 while senior Brionna
Patterson added 11. Patterson led UA offensively posting 20
kills. Rounding out the senior class performances was setter Kara
Smith and outside hitter Liz
Martin. Smith posted 53 assists, six digs, two service
aces and two kills while Martin added 10 kills, one dig and one
block assist.
When available complete information regarding the 2009 MAC
tournament will be made available on www.GoZips.com.
