The University of Akron Athletics
Volleyball continues MAC play on the road at Buffalo, Toledo
October 02 | Women's Volleyball
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Video: Zips Volleyball with Ron Arenz
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AKRON, Ohio -- Akron continues Mid-American Conference action this week on the road, seeking its first league win at Buffalo on Thursday before heading to Toledo on Saturday to take on its first West Division opponent. Both matches are slated to begin at 7 p.m.
MATCH INFORMATION
Dates: Oct. 3 & 5
Locations: Buffalo, N.Y.; Toledo, Ohio
Sites: Alumni Arena (6,100); Savage Arena (7,300)
The Series: Akron leads Buffalo, 24-9; Akron trails Toledo, 23-24
Head Coaches: Ron Arenz (102-126 overall, 66-97 at UA); Todd Kress (323-230 overall, 68-71 at Buffalo); Greg Smith (136-169 overall, 55-75 at Toledo)
Akron Assistant Coaches: Jayme Plummer (Assistant Coach); Allison Kearney (Assistant Coach); Cedric Chrisostome (Volunteer Assistant)
Livestats: Buffalo match; Toledo match
Video stream: Buffalo match; Toledo match
Match notes: Click here
ZIP LINES
• Akron is in its 40th season of collegiate volleyball. Head coach Ron Arenz is in his sixth season at the helm, holding a 66-97 record leading the Zips and a 102-126 mark all-time as a collegiate head coach.
• UA returns seven letterwinners including two starters and its libero from a team that went 16-13 overall and 9-7 in the MAC in 2012. Last year the Zips advanced to the conference tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2003, falling to Northern Illinois in four sets.
ON DECK
• Akron returns to the road this week, traveling first to Buffalo on Thursday for a 7 p.m. match. The Zips will have a short day off before going to Toledo on Saturday to face their first West Division opponent at 7 p.m.
• UA leads the all-time series with Buffalo, 24-9, and defeated the Bulls twice during the regular season last year.
• Akron trails Toledo by one in the all-time series between the two teams, 23-24. The Zips took down the Rockets in four sets last season at Rhodes Arena, snapping a five-match losing streak to UT.
LAST TIME OUT
• Akron began Mid-American Conference play with a pair of setbacks last weekend, falling short in a comeback against Kent State, 3-2, and dropping a three-set contest to nationally-ranked Ohio.
• Kelsey Wilson was the most accurate hitter in the conference on opening weekend, posting a league-leading .579 hitting percentage over the course of the two matches.
• Wilson tied a career-high 15 kills with just a single error in 21 attempts to hit .667 versus Kent State - a mark that ranks inside the top-10 all-time at UA.
• The Zips' match against Kent State marked the sixth time this season that Akron has fielded two or more players with double digit kills.
• Alex Cocklin's double-double of 12 kills and 14 digs against KSU was her third of the year.
• Karley Kusan assumed primary setting duties for the majority of the weekend, averaging 8.14 assists per set.
• The Zips are unbeatean (5-0) this season when they win the first set.
• UA continues MAC play on the road next weekend, at Miami (Ohio) on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., and at Bowling Green on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.
SCOUTING BUFFALO
• Buffalo enters Thursday's match with a 13-2 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the conference. The Bulls started the 2013 season off on a tear, winning their first 12-straight matches before falling in a battle of the unbeatens to No. 13 Ohio State. In its first two MAC matches, UB fell to Ohio, 3-1, before taking down Kent State by the same margin.
• UB is led by fifth-year head coach Todd Kress, who holds a 68-71 record at the school and a 323-230 mark overall for his career.
• The Buffalo offense is led by Tahleia Bishop with 3.34 kills per set. Dani Reinert averages 6.78 assists per set, while MAC Defensive Co-Player of the Week Kelly Svoboda heads up the defense with 5.90 digs per set. As a team, Buffalo leads the MAC and is second in the nation in blocking, averaging 3.20 blocks per set, as well as opponent hitting percentage at .116. Amber Hatchett and Carissa McKenna lead the league in blocking, averaging 1.53 and 1.46 per set, respectively.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
• Toledo enters its Thursday match against Ball State with a 7-8 overall record and an 0-2 mark in the conference, after falling on the road to Central Michigan (3-0) and Eastern Michigan (3-1) last weekend.
• UT is led by fifth-year head coach Greg Smith who garners a 55-75 record at Toledo and a 136-169 overall record for his career.
• The Toledo offense is led by Lauren Rafdal with 3.50 kills per set. Setter Adria Pryor ranks fourth in the MAC with 9.87 assists per set, while Ellen Hays heads up the defense with 4.15 digs per set. Dakota Harkins leads the team in blocking with 1.14 blocks per set.
