Zips Fall to Miami, 3-0

Saturday, October 27

Oxford, OH

5 PM

University of Akron

3-911-12; MAC

Miami (OH)

11-119-5; MAC

Akron

Miami

October 27 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

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BOX SCORE (PDF)

OXFORD, Ohio – The University of Akron volleyball team fell to Miami (Ohio), 3-0 (18-25, 16-25, 19-25), in a Mid-American Conference matchup on Saturday evening in Oxford Ohio.

"We had a tough time terminating and that was the big difference today," head coach Tom Hanna said. "We had some decent looks but couldn't score often enough, especially as it got in to the middle part of each set. We're certainly capable of playing at a higher level more consistently and will look to turn that around this week."

The Zips moved to 11-12 overall and 3-9 in MAC play, while Miami, the current conference leader, improved to 19-5, 11-1 MAC.

Junior Ashley Richardson (Doylestown, Ohio) paced the Zips with nine kills, while senior Kayla Gwozdz (Temperance, Mich.) and Megan Kelly (Lakewood, Ill.) added four kills apiece. Richardson also held a team-best hitting clip at .368. Sophomore Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio) recorded 19 assists and six digs.

Sophomores Taylor Sharrits (Concord, Ohio) and Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio) tallied 10 digs each. At the net, Richardson led with three total blocks, while Adleta and Kelly added two apiece.

Akron was up 7-5 to open the match. The Zips lead was highlighted by kills from Gwozdz and sophomore Shelby Fulmer (Perrysburg, Ohio). A 6-0 run gave Miami a 10-7 lead. The teams went back-and-forth over the next couple points, but Miami still held an advantage at 16-14. Four unanswered points pushed the RedHawks ahead to a 6-point lead, leaving the Zips unable to catch up. A kill by Miami's Gaby Harper sealed the 25-18 win in the opening set for the RedHawks.

The RedHawks held a 4-3 advantage to open the second set, but a Weigand service ace and two kills from Gwozdz gave the Zips a 5-4 edge. Akron scored four of the next seven points to hold its lead, 9-7. Miami answered with a 6-0 run which would prove to be a game changer, as Miami led for the remainder of the set, taking the second, 25-16.

The RedHawks led for the entirety of the third set, however Akron did make comeback late into the set, scoring four straight points to cut its deficit to five. Miami would score two of the final three points of the match to seal its win with a 25-19 victory in the third.

Akron returns home for its final home matches of the season next week as it hosts Ohio on Friday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. and Kent State in a Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge match on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. The Zips' match against Ohio will be broadcast on ESPN3. Akron will also be honoring its seniors, Kayla Gwozdz and Abbey Pawlak (Sylvania, Ohio), on Saturday.