Zips Battle Throughout but Fall in Five Sets to Northern Illinois

Saturday, October 14

Akron, OH

5 p.m.

University of Akron

6-14, 2-6MAC

Northern Illinois

5-18, 4-4MAC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
NIU	25	19	25	20	15	3
Akron	22	25	20	25	11	2

Box Score (PDF)

October 14 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Follow Akron Women's Volleyball on Twitter and Facebook

Box Score (PDF)

Match Highlights

AKRON, Ohio- The University of Akron volleyball team battled throughout before falling in a five-set decision (22-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-20, 11-15) against Northern Illinois on Saturday night at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Akron dropped to 6-14 overall and 2-6 in Mid-American Conference play with the setback, while Northern Illinois improved to 5-18 on the season and 4-4 in conference play.

Senior Jessica Kloehn (Milwaukee, Wis.) and junior Kayla Gwozdz (Temperance, Mich.) paced the Zips' offense with 15 kills apiece. Kloehn also recorded a match-high six blocks. Freshman Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio) kept the Huskies defense guessing contributing a match-high 51 assists, followed by freshman Taylor Sharrits (Concord, Ohio), who led the match with 25 digs.

Northern Illinois got off to a 5-2 lead in the match, before Akron's offense got into a rhythm and put together a 4-1 scoring run that tied the set at 15. The Huskies answered back with a run of their own to regain the lead, 18-15. The teams continued to trade scoring chances, but Northern Illinois used two-consecutive scores to secure the 25-22 set victory.

In the second set, the Huskies continued their offensive striking and took an early 8-2 lead. A service error on the Huskies put Akron's offense in position and sparked a 7-1 run that tied the set at nine. During the run, Northern Illinois committed four errors. An ace by Weigand and Kill from junior Madi Baer (Stow, Ohio) put the Zips in position to give them their first lead of the set.

Akron scored five consecutive points with the help of three Huskies' errors that put the Zips ahead 14-10. The Zips were able to maintain their lead throughout the remainder of the frame and took set two, 25-19.

Despite Akron's 8-6 lead in the third set, Northern Illinois' offense went on a 6-1 run that put it ahead, 19-13. With the help of a pair of back-to-back kills from Kloehn, Akron chipped at Northern Illinois' lead only trailing 23-20. The Huskies took the third-set victory, 25-20, on the strength of a Miranda Karlen ace.

With the scored tied at nine in the fourth set, Baer contributed three kills during a 7-1 scoring run, which gave the Zips a 16-10 advantage. The Huskies threatened by scoring two consecutive points, but the Zips' offense momentum carried with Gwozdz connecting on three kills that gave Akron the 25-20 fourth-set victory.

In the decision set, Akron jumped out to a 3-2 lead, but was shut down after Northern Illinois went on a 4-1 run to go ahead, 5-4. The teams continued to battle as the score was tied at 10, but the Huskies answered with four-straight points to place them at match point.

A service error on Northern Illinois gave Akron the chance to put together a run, but Kaylee Martin completed the winning point for Northern Illinois.

Despite Akron's .174 hitting percentage, to Northern Illinois' .131, the Huskies edged the Zips in service aces with five, compared to Akron's four.

The Zips hits the road next week as they travel to Ypsilanti, Mich., on Friday, Oct. 20, to take on Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m., followed by Central Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 5 p.m. at Mount Pleasant, Mich.