Game Preview: Zips Volleyball Back at The JAR

Friday, March 12

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

Western Michigan

March 11 | Women's Volleyball

Game Preview: Zips Volleyball Back at The JAR
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THIS WEEK
The Akron women's volleyball team returns to James A. Rhodes Arena after a two-week hiatus, hosting Western Michigan on Friday and Saturday, March 12-13. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday (ESPN3) and 5 p.m. on Saturday (ESPN+). Fans can follow the action on the ESPN family of networks or via live stats at GoZips.com.

GAME COVERAGE
Video: Friday – ESPN3 – https://es.pn/3temA9Z
Video: Saturday – ESPN+ – https://es.pn/2OKA0vL
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3omv8sz

ABOUT THE ZIPS
Akron is 4-10 overall and 4-10 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 added its third and fourth wins of the season against Eastern Michigan (W 3-1, L 1-3) and Northern Illinois (W 3-0, L 0-3). The Zips dropped a pair of matches to rival Kent State 3-1. 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.

Alexis Adleta is coming off a big week and leads the Zips with 172.5 points on a team-high 155 kills (2.82 per set), second-best 160 digs (2.91 per set), 18 blocks and eight service aces. Shelby Fulmer follows with 164.0 points on 137 kills (2.40 per set), 58 digs (1.02 per set), 27 blocks and 13 aces. Teagan Ochaya and Jen Durra follow with 111 and 104 kills, respectively. Ochaya has 125.5 points while Durra has 116.5 points. Megan Kelly recorded 57 kills and a team-high 53 blocks for 117.5 points. Emily Weigand leads in assists with 332 for a 5.82 assist per set average, while Taylor Kuruzovich distributed 253 helpers for a 4.44 assists per set total. Weigand leads the MAC in service aces with 30.

Defensively, Taylor Sharrits is the league-leader with 325 digs (5.70 dig/s) followed by Adleta (160, 2.91 dig/s), Weigand (112, 1.96 dig/s), Durra (81, 1.65 dig/s), Kuruzovich (75, 1.32 dig/s) and Lauren Latka (71, 1.29 dig/s). In addition, Kelly and Fulmer combine for 80 of the team's 101.5 blocks. Hannah Yaconis has 31 blocks, while Ochaya accounts for 27.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Senior LS Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio) was named Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday (3/8/21). Adleta led Akron to a series split against Northern Illinois on the road on March 4-5. For the week, Adleta recorded 33 kills on 63 attempts with just nine miscues for a .381 hitting percentage. She added 18 digs and four blocks for 35.0 total points. She averaged 5.5 kills per set. The Zips claimed the second match of the series behind a spectacular performance by Adleta as she floored 18 kills on 31 attempts with only two errors for a .516 hitting percentage. She added a perfect receiving performance, completing 23 attempts while adding six digs and three block assists. The Zips claimed the match 3-0 by scores of 25-23, 25-17 and 26-24. In the series opener, Adleta collected 15 kills on 32 attempts with seven errors for a .250 hitting percentage. She added 12 digs and a block. The Zips fell 3-0 by scores of 25-16, 25-20 and 25-20.

Senior libero Taylor Sharrits (Concord, Ohio) was named Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday (3/1/21). Sharrits anchored the Zips' defense in a pair of matches at Central Michigan on Feb. 25-26. She recorded 50 total digs, averaging 5.56 per set. Sharrits added 25 receptions with a perfect 1.000 receiving percentage, four assists and one service ace. In the first match against the Chippewas, a five-set thriller, Sharrits posted 33 digs, three assists and an ace as the Zips fell 3-2. Sharrits led the squad again in the second match with 17 digs and an assist in a 3-1 setback. Sharrits recorded 30-plus digs in three consecutive matches as she posted back-to-back 33 and 34 dig performances against Eastern Michigan, Feb. 18-19. The Zips split that series 1-1 as Sharrits collected 67 digs, averaging 8.38 digs per set.

SCOUTING WMU
The Broncos, under 14th-year head coach Colleen Munson, currently sit at 10-3 (10-3 MAC) on the season. The Broncos have won four of the last eight matches and eight of the last nine. WMU last loss was to Miami (3-1) on Feb. 18. They turned around and defeated the RedHawks (3-0) a day later and proceeded to be victorious against Buffalo (3-2, 3-0) and Ball State (3-0)

Offensively, the Broncos are led by Rachel Bontrager, who currently has 213 kills (4.53 per set) of the Broncos' 673 kills (14.32 per set) on the season. She owns a .294 hitting percentage which is third best on the team behind Logan Case (.340) and Janell Williams (.317). Case has 21 kills and a team-best 544 assists (11.57 per set) while Williams has a third-best 68 putaways. Setter Grace Balensiefer leads the team with 451 assists (9.60 per set). Andelyn Simkins adds a second-best 71 kills and a team-high 22 service aces.

Defensively, the Broncos have four players with over 100 digs as Kaley Smith leads the way with 270 (5.74 per set), followed by Simkins with 128 (2.72 per set), Bontrager 101 (2.15 per set) and Mairead Boyle 100 (2.27 per set). Above the net, the Broncos are led by Williams in total blocks with 40 of the team's 89 blocks, including 10 solo stops. Bontrager follows with 22 block assists and three solo blocks.

SERIES VS. WMU
Western Michigan leads the all-time series over Akron, 25-12. Last season, the Zips defeated the Broncos 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 25-13, 19-25, 15-11) at James A. Rhodes Arena In 2018, the Zips fell to Western Michigan in straight sets (25-22, 25-19, 25-21).

AKRON QUICK HITS

Alexis Adleta Named MAC Offensive Player of the Week (3/8/21)
Taylor Sharrits Named MAC Defensive Player of the Week (3/1/21)
Akron ranks No. 1 in MAC in Service Aces with 72 aces in 47 sets for a 1.53 average per set.
Emily Weigand ranks No. 1 in MAC with 29 service aces (0.62 per set)
The Zips offensive attack is led by Alexis Adleta, 122 kills (2.49 per set), and Shelby Fulmer 124 kills (2.43 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)
Akron is currently 3-3 at home 0-6 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.

UP NEXT FOR THE ZIPS
The Zips have three matches next week, all on the road. First Akron is scheduled to travel to Buffalo on Tuesday, March 16 followed by a weekend series against the Bowling Green Falcons, Friday and Saturday, March 19-20. Fans can follow all of the matches on ESPN+ or on GoZips.com via live stats.