Game Preview: Zips Volleyball on the Road Against Rival Kent State

Thursday, February 11

Kent, OH

7 PM

University of Akron

Kent State

Game Preview: Zips Volleyball on the Road Against Rival Kent State

February 10 | Women's Volleyball

Game Preview: Zips Volleyball on the Road Against Rival Kent State

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THIS WEEK
Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge points are up for grabs this weekend as the Akron women's volleyball team travels to rival Kent State for a pair of matches on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 11-12. Fans can follow the action via live stats at GoZips.com. The winner of each match will earn one half-point in this year's Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge standings.

GAME COVERAGE
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/3aSJhZZ
No Video Broadcasts Thursday or Friday

ABOUT THE ZIPS
Akron is 2-4 overall and 2-4 in Mid-American Conference play as the Zips opened MAC play at home with a 3-2 win over the Miami RedHawks and followed with a 3-2 win over Ohio, snapping the Bobcats' 22-match winning streak over the Zips. Akron dropped the second match to Miami after taking the first two sets, 2-3 and fell in the series opener to Ohio, 3-1. The Zips opened the season in Muncie, Ind. against Ball State as the Cardinals claimed both matches 3-0 and 3-1.

Shelby Fulmer leads Akron with 77 points on 63 kills, 18 digs and 16 blocks. Fulmer's 2.42 kills per set leads the team while Alexis Adleta averages a second-best 2.13 kills per set. Adleta is second in scoring for the Zips with 58.5 points as she has amassed 51 kills, 52 digs and five blocks. Jenn Durra and Teagan Ochaya follow with 49.5 and 46.5 points, respectively. Durra recorded 41 kills, 27 digs, six service aces and five blocks to date, while Ochaya registered 51 kills, 20 digs and seven blocks. Megan Kelly contributed 32 kills and Hannah Yaconis tallied 16 do far this season. Emily Weigand leads in assists with 147 for a 5.65 assist per set average, while Taylor Kuruzovich distributed 102 helpers for a 3.92 assists per set total. Both Weigand and Kuruzovich are ranked in the MAC's Top 10 in service aces as Weigand in No. 2 with 15 and Kuruzovich in No. 6 with nine.

Defensively, Taylor Sharrits leads the team and ranked No. 4 in the MAC with 146 digs (5.62 dig/s) followed by Alexis Adleta (52, 2.17 dig/s), Weigand (46, 1.77 dig/s), Lauren Latka (30, 1.15 dig/s) and Jen Durra (27, 1.17 dig/s). In addition, Kelly and Yaconis combine for 38 of the team's 44.5 blocks, as Kelly ranks No. 6 in the Mac with 1.0 blocks per set and 26 total blocks while Yaconis has 12 blocks.

SCOUTING KENT STATE
The Golden Flashes, under ninth-year head coach Don Gromala, are one of two undefeated teams in the Mid-American Conference this season. Kent State is 4-0 overall and in league play, posting wins against Central Michigan (3-0 and 3-1) and Buffalo (3-0 and 3-0). In addition, both wins came on the road and the Golden Flashes have only lost one set this season, (@CMU 26-24).

Offensively, the Golden Flashes are led by Savannah Matthews with 59 kills and a MAC-best 4.54 kills per set on a .323 hitting percentage. Taylor Heberie follows with 49 kills and 3.77 per set which ranks fifth in the MAC. In addition, Heberie leads the MAC is service aces per set with 0.62 with eight aces in 13 sets. Setter Alex Haffner leads the team with 158 assists (12.15 per set), ranking No. 1 in the MAC.

Defensively, Erin Gardner leads a well-balanced ground defense with 57 digs (4.38 per set – 7^th in MAC) while Lana Strejcek leads the team in blocks with 16, including four solo blocks. She ranks third overall in the MAC standings.

SERIES VS. KENT STATE
Kent State leads the all-time series over Akron, 46-37. Last season, the two teams split the series as the Zips claimed the first match 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 26-28, 25-12) in Akron and the flashes won the rematch in Kent, 3-0 (16-25, 21-25, 24-26). In 2018, Kent State swept the series with a 3-2 (27-25, 30-32, 17-25, 25-18, 15-12) result at home and another 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-15, 15-25, 15-12) decision at The JAR. Kent State owns an 11-2 record in the last 13 matches against the Zips.

AKRON QUICK HITS

Akron ranks No. 1 in MAC in Service Aces with 47 aces in 26 sets for a 1.81 average per set.
Emily Weigand ranks No. 2 in MAC with 15 service aces (0.58 per set)
Taylor Kuruzovich ranks No. 6 in MAC with nine service aces (0.35 per set)
Akron snapped Ohio's 22-match winning streak with a 3-2 win on Senior Night (2/5/21)
The Zips defeated Ohio by scores of (15-25, 25-12, 25-19, 14-25, 15-7)
The Zips posted their first win of the season and first league win against Miami in the home opener 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22, 15-8) on Thur. Jan. 28, 2021
Weigand used nine consecutive serves to fuel a comeback in set two as the Zips eventually won the set 25-23 against Maimi (1/28)
Weigand has 10 service aces in four matches
Akron is currently 1-1 at home 1-3 on the season
Faith Johnson and Arianna Barksdale made their collegiate debuts against Ball State Jan. 22-23. Johnson recorded nine kills, six digs and three blocks. Barksdale had one kill and one block.
Akron picked fourth in the MAC East.
Last season the Zips advanced to their first MAC Championship appearance since 2012.
Weigand was named preseason All-MAC
The Zips' roster consists of 12 returners and 5 newcomers.

CRYSTAL CLINIC WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE
Akron leads Kent State 2.0-1.0 in the current Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge standings as the Zips earned one point for the win at cross country championships and the men's basketball season series sweep (first sweep in series by either team since 2012). The Golden Flashes earned a point for the win in football.

According to legend, the "Wagon Wheel" trophy traces its beginnings to the spring of 1870 when Akron industrialist John R. Buchtel set out for the town of Kent in search of a site to establish a college. In the muddy Ohio fields, however, his wagon became bogged down in the area where Kent State University is currently located. When horses pulled the wagon, a wheel came loose and became buried until it was discovered in 1902 during the construction of a pipeline along the Western Reserve Trail.

The wheel eventually fell into the possession of Dr. Raymond Manchester, who as the Kent State Dean of Men in 1945, suggested the local historic artifact be offered as the trophy to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game.

Through the 2020 game, Kent holds a 24–25–1 series advantage in Wagon Wheel games. Dating to 1923, Akron leads the all-time series on the gridiron, 35-26-2.

www.WagonWheelChallenge.com

UP NEXT FOR THE ZIPS
The Zips continue conference play next weekend at home, battling Eastern Michigan on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 18-19 at James A. Rhodes Arena. Both matches are slated for 7 p.m. start times. Fans can follow the action by ESPN digital platforms (ESPN3 or ESPN+) or on GoZips.com via live stats.