The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Evansville
Volleyball Begins the 2024 Season in Puerto Rico Against Evansville and Liberty
August 29 | Women's Volleyball
AKRON, Ohio - The Akron Volleyball team begins the 2024 season with a pair of matches in Puerto Rico against Evansville (Aug 30) and Liberty (Aug 31).
Stats: Evansville | Liberty
Video: Evansville ($) | Liberty ($)
Stat Leaders (2023-24)
Akron: Kills: Faith Jonhson (393) | Assists: Eliska Vytiskova (1,005) | Aces: Eliska Vytiskova (50) |Â Digs: Vanessa Del Real (404) | Blocks: Ellen Kinnaird (98.0)
Evansville: Kills: Giulia Cardona (593) | Assists: Kora Ruff (1,039) | Aces: Giulia Cardona (60) |Â Digs: Ainoah Cruz (494) | Blocks: Madisyn Steele (91)
Liberty: Kills: Kamryn Bacus (393) | Assists: Delaney Dilfer (1,019) | Aces: Kamryn Bacus (31) |Â Digs: Delaney Dilfer (222) | Blocks: Madison Blane (134.0)
A Look At The Series
Evansville: 1-0 [Last Met: September 4, 1994 | W 3-1 (15-12, 15-7, 13-15, 15-6)]
Liberty: First Meeting
Common Opponents
Evansville: Central Michigan (MAC), Northern Illinois (MAC)Â
Liberty: Ohio (MAC)
Zips At AÂ Glance
The Zips are coming off a 13-16 2023 campaign that saw the Blue and Gold go 8-10 in the MAC. Akron was led by Faith Johnson in kills with 393 while Eliska Vytiskova was the leader in assists (1,005) and aces (50). Vanessa Del Real led the Zips in digs with 404 and Ellen Kinnaird was the leader in blocks with 98.0.Â
Akron finished fourth in the MAC in total blocks (224.5) and blocks per set (2.00). The Blue and Gold also finished first in aces (221) and aces per set (1.97).
Ellen Kinnaird was sixth in hitting % (.331) and in blocks per set (.88) the past season in the MAC. Vannessa Del Real was fifth in aces per set (.44) and 10th in digs per set (3.61). Faith Johnson finished the 2023 season seventh in points per set (4.13) and eighth in kills per set (3.51) in the conference.
The Zips were picked to finish 9th in the 2024 MAC Preseason Poll.
Scouting Report
Evansville:Â The Purple Aces are coming off an 11-19 overall season and a 6-12 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. Evansville was selected to finish 9th in the MVC while Giulia Cardona was selected to the Preseason all-conference team. She is the reigning MVC Player of the Year and earned AVCA All-Region and All-American Honorable Mention accolades in 2023.
Evansville was led by Cardona in points with 682, kills per set with 5.34 and service aces with 60. Kora Ruff was the leader in digs with 284 and assists with 1,039.Â
Cardona led the MVC in kills and kills per set while Melanie Feliciano was fifth with 3.64 kills per set. Ruff was third in assists per set (10.39) while Cardona led the conference in aces. Brooke Springer was sixth in blocks per set with 0.99. Cardona was also the MVC's top point producer in total points and points per set (6.14)
Liberty: The Flames are coming off a 15-14 season that saw them go 8-8 in conference. Liberty started the 2023 season with seven straight wins, which featured a 3-2 victory over No. 23 Hawaii, which marked the first win over a Top 25 team in program history, before falling 3-0 to UCLA.
The Lady Flames were picked to finish 4th in the 2024 Conference USA (CUSA) Preseason Volleyball Poll. Outside Hitter Kamryn Bacus and Middle Blocker Madison Blane were both named to the CUSA Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team. For the second year in a row, Bacus was named to the CUSA Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team.
Kamryn Bacus led the Flames in kills with 331 and service aces with 31 in 2023. Delaney Dilfer was the leader in digs with 222 and assists with 1,019. Madison Blane led C-USA in hitting percentage with a .418 mark while Bacus was second in total skills and Kills per set (3.72). Dilfer was third in assists and assists per set (9.89).
What's Next?
The Zips return to Akron to host Cleveland State, Wyoming and Texas-Rio Grande Valley in the Zips Invitational from September 4-7.
