The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Northern Illinois
Zips Return to the JAR to Battle NIU
October 23 | Women's Volleyball
How To Follow The Action
Friday: Stats | Video
Saturday: Stats | Video
Stat Leaders
Akron: Kills: Delaney Gash (288) | Assists: Martina Villani (767) | Points: Delaney Gash (312) | Aces: Vanessa Del Real (35)Â | Digs: Vanessa Del Real (285) | Blocks: Chidera Ozoh (84)
Northern Illinois: Kills: Emma McCartney (219) | Assists: Ella Strausberger (446) | Points: Emma McCartney (242.5) | Aces: Jordyn Tynsky (22)Â | Digs: Jordyn Tynsky (222) | Blocks: Rylea Alvin (74)
A Look At The Series
Northern Illinois: Akron trails 13-31 | Norton vs Northern Illinois: 3-2
First Played: Sept.25, 1987 (Akron 0, Northern Illinois 3)
Last Played: Oct. 4, 2024 (Akron, 3, Northern Illinois 2)
The Zips and Huskies will battle for 45th and 46th in the all-time series. The Zips currently trail 31-13 while picking up a pair of five-set victories over NIU last season. The Huskies came away with a 3-0 win in the first-ever meeting back in 1987.
The Huskies built their lead with a 16-game winning streak that ran from Nov. 10, 2005, through Oct 12, 2018. Akron, who has won the previous three meetings with NIU, will look for its first home victory over the Huskies since Oct 18, 2018, when the Blue and Gold took a 3-0 sweep.
Common Opponents (Non-MAC schools)
Northern Illinois: None
Last Time Out
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (10/18) - The Akron volleyball team could not overcome a potent Chippewas offense Saturday, to Central Michigan in straight sets (21-25, 23-25, 22-25).
Delaney Gash finished with nine kills on the day to lead the Zips offense. Akron got 12 digs from Vanessa Del Real along with five blocks from Lyndi Wolf to lead them defensively. Masa Prascevic came close to recording her first collegiate double-double with a 12 assists, seven dig performance.Â
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (10/17) - The Akron volleyball team fell to the Central Michigan Chippewas 3-0 (21-25, 14-25, 27-29) Friday on the road at McGuirk Arena.
Lyndi Wolf finished with eight kills on the day to lead the Zips offense while finishing with a hitting percentage of .421. Chidera Ozoh joined Wolf for the lead in kills with eight, a hitting percentage of .583 and three blocks. Defensively, Akron had two players reach double figures in digs as Reilly Chausse had 14 and Vanessa Del Real had 11.
Zips At AÂ Glance
Akron comes into the series with Northern Illinois holding a 9-11 overall record and a 2-7 record in the MAC. The Zips recently went 0-2 the past week against Central Michigan.
Delaney Gash led the Zips the past week with 15 kills while Lyndi Wolf (14) and Gabby Brissett (13) were close behind. Martina Villani led the way in assists (41) while Masa Prasevic came close to recording her first collegiate double-double with a 12 assists and seven dig performance against CMU on October 18. Vanessa Del Real led the way in digs (23) while Chidera Ozoh led the Zips in blocks (6).
Gash leads the Zips so far this season in kills (288) and points (312). Villani is the leader in assists (767) while Vanessa Del Real leads the Blue and Gold in aces (35) and digs (285). Ozoh serves as the leader in blocks (84).
Scouting Report
Northern Illinois: The Huskies enter the Rubber City with a 10-8 overall record and a 3-6 record in the MAC. NIU started conference action 2-2, but is 1-4 through its past five. The Huskies most recently fell twice to Toledo, with the final game of the series going to five sets.
NIU ranks in the top five in the MAC in fewest opp assists per set (4th - 11.36) and fewest opp kills per set (5th - 12.35).
Individually, Emma McCarthy ranks 10th in the MAC for kills per set (3.13) and 9th for points per set (3.46). Rylea Alvin ranks 7th in blocks per set (1.10) while Jordyn Tynsky ranks 8th in digs per set (3.47).
The Huskies were picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll.
Milestones To Watch For
- Vanessa Del Real is 356 digs from tying Jennifer Borton (1992-95) for 10th in all-time digs (1,469).
- Del Real is 14 aces away from tying Ashley Lewis (1997-2000) for 10th in all-time aces (136).
- Del Real is 152 assists away from 500 as a Zip.
- Villani is 828 assists from tying Carol Claridge (1987-88) for 10th in all-time assists (1,880).
- Villani is 249 digs away from 500 as a Zips.
- Maureen Mathews is 331 kills away from 1,000 career kills.
- Mathews is 266.5 points away from 1,000 in her career.
- Reilly Chausse is 140 digs away from 500 as a Zip.
- Delaney Gash is 64 kills away from 500 as a Zip.
- Gash is 27.5 points away from 500 as a Zip.
- Gash is 244 digs away from 500 as a Zip.
- Chidera Ozoh is 16 blocks away from 100 as a Zip.
- Gabby Brissett is 183 kills away from 500 as a Zip.
- Brissett is 121 kills away from 750 career kills.
- Brissett is 45 points away from 750 career points.
- Jordyn Aeschliman is 9 kills away from 100 as a Zips.
Akron ranks in the top-five in the MAC in total points (4th - 1353), points per set (2nd - 16.91), hitting % (4th - .213), total assists (3rd - 983), assists per set (2nd - 12.29), total kills (2nd - 1064), kills per set (2nd - 13.30) and fewest opp assists (5th - 919).
Individually, the Zips see Lyndi Wolf rank 7th in hitting percentage (.295). Delaney Gash ranks 4th in total kills (288), 3rd in kills per set (3.79), 4th in total points (312) and 5th in points per set (4.11). Maureen Mathews is 6th in total kills (231) and 9th in kills per set (3.16). Martina Villani ranks 3rd in total assists (767) and 2nd in assists per set (9.59). Vanessa Del Real ranks 1st in total aces (35), 2nd in aces per set (.47), 6th in total digs (285) and 6th in digs per set (3.80). Chidera Ozoh ranks 5th in total blocks (84) and 8th in blocks per set (1.05).
Among The Best In The NCAA
The Zips rank 70th in the NCAA in assists per set (12.29), 73rd in kills per set (13.30), 22nd in total assists (983), 19th in total kills (1,064) and 66th in total aces (126).
Individually, Vanessa Del Real ranks 35th in aces per set (.47) and 19th in total aces (35). Martina Villani ranks 58th in assists per set (9.59) and 9th in total assists (767). Delaney Gash ranks 95th in kills per set (3.79), 73rd in total points (312) and 42nd in total kills (288). Chidera Ozoh ranks 71st in total blocks (84).
Double-Doubles
Delaney Gash leads the Zips with six double-doubles after posting a 23-kill, 13-dig performance at Western Michigan on Oct. 10. Martina Villani has recorded four, with the most recent coming at Western Michigan on Oct. 10 with a 50-assist, 12-dig performance. Vanessa Del Real has one after recording a 17 dig, 10 assist performance at Youngstown State on Sept. 18.
First Set Success
Akron has taken the first set in nine matches this season (vs Green Bay, at Cleveland State, vs ETSU, vs Cleveland State, vs Miami (OH), at Ohio, vs Buffalo, at WMU x2), and have gone 6-3. The Zips have fallen in the first set 11 times and have gone 3-8 in those matches.
Five-Set Thrillers
The Zips have played in six 5-set matches in 2025 and are 3-3 in those contests. Akron has defeated Green Bay, American and Western Michigan while falling to NC State, Miami (OH) and Buffalo.
Last season, the Blue and Gold played in 11 five-set matches and went 2-9 in those contests.Â
What's Next?
Akron travels to Buffalo on Tuesday, October 28 before returning to James A. Rhodes Arena to battle Eastern Michigan on October 31 and November 1.
