The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Kent State
Akron Volleyball Travels to Kent State and Ohio
September 27 | Women's Volleyball
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MATCH NOTES (PDF)
THIS WEEKÂ
The University of Akron volleyball team hits the road this weekend for a pair of matches against Kent State and Ohio. Friday, Sept. 28, the Zips take on the Golden Flashes in Kent, Ohio, followed by a visit to Athens, Ohio, to face the Bobcats on Saturday, Sept. 29. First serve for both matches is set for 6 p.m.
Akron's match against Kent State on Friday will be the first meeting of the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge and will also be broadcast on ESPN+.
GAME COVERAGE
Akron at Kent State
Watch ESPN+
Live Stats
Akron at Ohio
Live Stats
CRYSTAL CLINIC WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE
The Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge is based on a time-honored competition for an historic wooden wagon wheel trophy awarded originally in 1945 to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. Since the 2011-12 academic year, the rivalry was broadened to include 14 NCAA varsity sports, with victories in each sport adding one point to the challenge standings.
For the third consecutive year in 2017-18, University of Akron Athletics won the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge, claiming a 7.5 to 6.5 victory over Kent State.
Fans can learn more about the rivalry and follow the results and standings via
ABOUT THE ZIPS
The Zips are under the direction of fourth-year head coach Tom Hanna, who has a career record of 169-202, including 30-68 at Akron.Â
Senior Kayla Gwozdz (Temperance, Mich.) leads the Zips' offense with 146 kills, while sophomore Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio) has tallied 125 kills. Middle blocker Ashley Richardson (Doylestown, Ohio) holds team-bests in hitting percentage with .390 and blocks with 34. Sophomore Shelby Fulmer (Perrysburg, Ohio) is second on the team with a .245 hitting clip.Â
Sophomore setter Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio) is averaging 6.76 assists per set, while also leading the Zips with 30 service aces. Sophomore defensive specialist Taylor Sharrits (Concord, Ohio) paces the back-row defense with 220 digs.Â
AKRON QUICK HITS
- Sophomore setter Emily Weigand is ranked seventh nationally in total service aces with 30 and fifth with .60 aces per set.
- Richardson's .390 hitting percentage this season currently rates 30th in the nation.Â
- As a team, Akron is ranked 17th in the nation in aces per set (1.76) and 34th in total service aces (88).
- In the MAC, Akron ranks first in service aces per set (1.76), fourth in kills per set (12.74), second in assists per set (11.92 ) and fifth in hitting percentage (.211).Â
- Akron is 4-1 in home matches and 1-1 on the road this season.
- The Zips have a hitting percentage of .211 this season, while holding opponents to .206.
- Gwozdz has posted double-digit kill totals in 10Â of the Zips' 13 matches.Â
- Defensive specialist Taylor Sharrits has posted double-digit digs in 15 of the last 17 matches she has played in, including a career high of 32 digs in Akron's 3-2 win over Cal State Fullerton earlier this season. Â
- Akron is 3-1 in five-set matches and 2-1 in four-set matches.Â
- Four freshmen have seen playing time in at least half of Akron's matches this season including Mahogany Vinson (Richton Park, Ill), Megan Kelly (Lakewood, Ill.), Hannah Yaconis (Batavia, Ill.) and Teagan Ochaya (Mentor, Ohio).
SCOUTING KENT STATE
The Golden Flashes are now 7-9 overall and 0-2 in MAC play after their first weekend of conference action. Last weekend, Kent State was on the road falling to Ohio, 3-1, and Eastern Michigan, 3-0.
Kent State is led on offense by a pair of senior hitters in Amy Kober and Darby Connors, who have season totals of 107 and 105 kills, respectively. Setter Alex Haffner is averaging 8.24 assists per set on 346 total assists. Freshman Erin Gardner holds a team-best 19 service aces.Â
Gardner is also leading the defensive efforts with 258 digs (4.69 per set). Junior middle blocker Myla King leads at the net with 39 blocks, while freshman Danie Tyson isn't far behind with 27 blocks.Â
The Golden Flashes are under the direction of head coach Don Gromala, who has led Kent State to a 75-101 record in six seasons.
SERIES VS. THE GOLDEN FLASHES
Kent State leads the all time series with Akron, 44-36. Last season, the two programs picked up a win each with the Zips taking the first meeting, 3-1 (25-27, 25-15, 25-18, 25-23) and Kent State winning the second, 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 22-25). The match this weekend will mark the 81st meeting between the two programs.Â
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats stand 7-8 overall and 2-0 in MAC matches this season. Ohio will take on Buffalo before facing the Zips. Last weekend, Ohio opened up MAC play with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-20) win over Kent State before defeating Central Michigan in straight sets, 26-24, 25-21, 25-22.
Outside hitter Jaime Kosiorek leads the Bobcats with 155 kills, averaging 2.77 per set. Setter Vera Giacomazzi has recorded 406 assists this season, while Kosiorek holds a team-best 32 service aces.Â
Defensively, libero Macy Reihing leads the way for Ohio with 234 digs, while middle blocker Simone Miller paces the Bobcats and ranks first in the MAC with 65 total blocks.Â
Deane Webb is in his fifth season as head coach of the Ohio volleyball program with a record of 81-43. Webb owns an overall career record of 451-259 over 21 seasons.Â
SERIES VS. THE BOBCATS
Ohio leads the all-time series over the Zips, 40-24. Last season, Ohio topped Akron in both matches by scores of 3-1 (15-25, 25-18, 23-25, 23-25) and 3-0 (14-25, 21-25, 25-27). The match this weekend will be the 65th meeting between the two teams.
LAST WEEK
Akron opened up conference play last weekend falling to both Miami, 3-0 (15-25, 19-25, 18-25), and Bowling Green, 3-2 (14-25, 25-19, 25-20, 19-25, 12-15).
In the loss to Miami, a pair of middle blockers in junior Ashley Richardson and freshman Hannah Yaconis led Akron with six kills each. Left-side hitter Alexis Adleta and freshman Megan Kelly both added four kills on the night. Sophomore setter Emily Weigand paced the Zips with 15 set assists. Defensive specialists Taylor Sharrits and senior Abbey Pawlak (Sylvania, Ohio) as well as sophomore setter Taylor Kuruzovich (Port Matilda, Pa.) all recorded a service ace for Akron.
Against Bowling Green, Gwozdz led the way for the Zips tallying 17 kills, while Richardson and Adleta added nine kills apiece. Sophomore setters Weigand and Kuruzovich dished out 28 and 19 set assists, respectively. Sharrits led the defense with a team-best 16 digs.
UP NEXT FOR THE ZIPS
Akron returns home to host Buffalo on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. and Toledo, Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. The Zips' match vs. Buffalo will be broadcast on ESPN+.
