The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Buffalo
Zips Host Buffalo & Travel to Western Michigan This Week
October 06 | Women's Volleyball
How To Follow The Action
(Tuesday) Buffalo: Stats | Video
(Thursday) Western Michigan: Stats | Video
(Friday) Western Michigan: Stats | Video
Stat Leaders
Akron: Kills: Delaney Gash (225) | Assists: Martina Villani (569) | Points: Delaney Gash (240) |Â Aces: Vanessa Del Real (31) | Digs: Vanessa Del Real (220) | Blocks: Chidera Ozoh (61)
Buffalo: Kills: Emerson Matthews (149) | Assists: Maddie Mitchell (370) | Points: Emerson Matthews (171) |Â Aces: Eve Adams (13) | Digs: Keira Kieldon (140) | Blocks: Tehya Shaw (26)
Western Michigan: Kills: Annalise Patchett (172) | Assists: Leah Richmond (626) | Points: Molly Brown (201.5) | Aces: Molly Brown (21) | Digs: Elana Erickson (309) | Blocks: Molly Brown (57)
A Look At The Series
Buffalo: Akron Leads 31-27 | Norton vs Buffalo: 0-6
First Played:Nov. 7, 1992 (Akron 3, Buffalo 1)
Last Played: Oct. 22, 2024 (Akron, 2, Buffalo 3)
Akron and Buffalo will battle for the 59th time in the all-time series. Akron leads the series 31-27 while the Bulls have taken seven straight from the Zips, with the last Akron victory coming on Oct. 13, 2021. Akron fell to Buffalo twice last season, with the final game against the Bulls going to a fifth set.
The Zips began the series with 16 consecutive victories over the Bulls before UB won the next four.
Western Michigan: Akron Trails 13-33 | Norton vs Western Michigan: 1-5
First Played: Sept. 18, 1992 (Akron 2, Western Michigan 3)
Last Played: Oct. 25, 2024 (Akron 2, Western Michigan 3)
Akron and Western Michigan will battle for the 47th and 48th time in the all-time series. The Zips currently trail 13-33 in the series with the Broncos taking the last four contests. Akron last defeated WMU on Sept. 30, 2022 in a 3-2 contest. Last season saw Akron go 0-2 against the Broncos, with the final of two games going to a fifth set.
Common Opponents (Non-MAC schools)
Buffalo: None
Western Michigan: Northern Kentucky (Horizon), Green Bay (Horizon)
Zips At AÂ Glance
Akron enters the week with an 8-7 overall record and a 1-3 record in the MAC.
The Zips split the previous week with a 3-1 win at Ohio while falling 3-1 at Kent State.
Akron starts the week with Buffalo at the JAR on Tuesday, while traveling to battle Western Michigan on Thursday and Friday.
Delaney Gash led the Zips' offense with 40 kills the past week, which featured a 24 kill performance and a .366 hitting percentage at Ohio. Martina Villani led Akron in assists with 85. Villani had 53 at Ohio while recording a double-double behind a career-high 15 digs. She also set a career-high in blocks (4) at Kent State. Lyndi Wolf set a career-high in blocks (7) at Kent State, while Vanessa Del Real recorded 35 digs on the week and tied her career-high in aces (5) at Kent State.
The Zips are led by Gash in kills (225) and points (240) while Villani leads the way in assists (569). Del Real is the leader in aces (31) and digs (220). Chidera Ozoh is the Zips' leader in blocks (61).
Scouting Report
Buffalo: The Bulls enter the week with a 4-9 overall record and a 1-3 record in the MAC.
After losing their first three MAC contest, the Bulls earned a 3-2 victory over Ohio on October 4. Buffalo dropped the first set, but responded with wins in the second, fourth and fifth sets. Prior to its win over Ohio, Buffalo had lost the previous six contests.
After the midweek contest at Akron, Buffalo will host Central Michigan for a pair of games starting on Friday, October 10.
Buffalo is led by Emerson Matthews in kills (149) and points (171). Maddie Mitchell is the leader in assists (370) while Eve Adams leads the way in aces (13). Keira Kieldon is the Bulls' leader in digs (140) and Tehya Shaw is the leader in blocks (26)
The Bulls are ranked in the top five in the MAC for fewest opp blocks (1st - 84.5), fewest opp blocks per set (2nd - 1.80), fewest opp digs (1st - 603) and fewest opp digs per set (3rd - 12.83).
Individually, Matthews is 9th in total kills (149) and kills per set (3.24), while ranked 9th in total points (171) and points per set (3.72). Manoela Forlin is ranked 10th for total kills (148), 8th in kills per set (3.36), 10th in total points (166) and 8th in points per set (3.77). Mitchell is 8th in total assists (370) and 7th in assists per set (8.41). Kieldon is ranked 10th in total digs and 8th in digs per set (3.41).
The Bulls were picked to finish fifth in the MAC Preseason poll.
Western Michigan: The Broncos are 6-11 overall and 3-1 in the MAC entering the week.
Western Michigan will travel to Northern Illinois on Tuesday before hosting the Zips for a pair of games starting on Thursday, October 9.
After winning their first two MAC contests, the Broncos went 1-1 last week with a 3-1 win at Miami and a 3-1 loss at Ball State.
Western Michigan is led by Annalise Patchett in kills (172), while Molly Brown leads the way in points(201.5), aces (21) and blocks (57). Leah Richmond paces the Broncos in assists (626) while Elana Erickson leads the way in digs (309).Â
In the MAC, the Broncos rank in the top five in total assists (3rd - 757), assists per set (5th - 11.65), total kills (4th - 12.20), total blocks (5th - 119), total digs (1st - 1125) and digs per set (1st - 17.31).
Individually, Richmond is 1st in total assists (626) and assists per set (9.63). Erickson is 1st in total digs (309) and digs per set (4.75). Amanda Glanton ranks 10th for blocks per set (.94).
In the NCAA, Western Michigan ranks 9th in digs per set (17.31), 32nd in total assists (757), 5th in total digs (1125) and 51st in total kills (793).
Individually, Richmond ranks 51st in assists per set (9.63) and 4th in total assists (626). Erickson ranks 26th in digs per set (4.75) and 13th in total digs (309).
Western Michigan was picked to finish 4th in the MAC Preseason poll.
Milestones To Watch For
- Vanessa Del Real is 421 digs from tying Jennifer Borton (1992-95) for 10th in all-time digs (1,469).
- Del Real is 18 aces away from tying Ashley Lewis (1997-2000) for 10th in all-time aces (136).
- Del Real is 164 assists away from 500 as a Zip.
- Martina Villani is 146 assists away from 1,000 as a Zip.
- Maureen Mathews is 348 kills away from 1,000 career kills.
- Mathews is 286 points away from 1,000 in her career.
- Reilly Chausse is 205 digs away from 500 as a Zip.
- Delaney Gash is 127 kills away from 500 as a Zip.
- Gash is 99.5 points away from 500 as a Zip.
- Jordyn Aeschliman is 17 kills away from 100 as a Zip.
- Chidera Ozoh is 39 blocks away from 100 as a Zip.
- Lyndi Wolf is 1 kill away from 100 as a Zip.
- Gabby Brissett is 223 kills away from 500 as a Zip.
- Brissett is 161 kills away from 750 career kills.
- Vanessa Del Real tied her career-high for aces (5, at Ohio 10/3/25).
- Chidera Ozoh tied her career-high in kills (7, at Ohio 10/3/25).
- Masa Prascevic set career-highs in assists (6) and digs (4), both at Kent State (10/4/25).
- Martina Villani set a career-high in digs (15, at Ohio 10/3/25).
- Martina Villani set a career-high in blocks (4, at Kent State 10/4/25).
- Lyndi Wolf set a career-high in blocks (7, at Kent State 10/4/25).
Akron ranks in the top-five in the MAC in points per set (2nd - 16.80), hitting % (3rd - .219), , fewest opp assists per set (5th - 11.25), total assists (4th - 734), assists per set (2nd - 12.23), fewest opp kills per set (5th - 12.23), total kills (3rd - 798), kills per set (2nd - 13.30), total blocks (5th - 98), total aces (4th - 75), aces per set (5th - 1.74), fewest opp digs (5th - 775), and fewest opp digs per set (4th - 12.46).
Individually, the Zips see Delaney Gash ranked 3rd in total kills (225) and kills per set (3.95) while ranked 4th in total points (240) and 5th in points per set (4.21). Maureen Mathews is 5th in total kills (214), 6th in kills per set (3.57), 6th in total points (230) and 7th in points per set (3.83). Vanessa Del Real is 1st in total aces (31), 2nd in aces per set, (.52), 6th in total digs and 5th in digs per set (3.67). Martina Villani is 3rd in total assists (569) and assists per set (9.48). Chidera Ozoh is 5th in total blocks (61) and 7th in blocks per set (1.02).
Among The Best In The NCAA
As a team, Akron ranks 77th in the NCAA in assists per set (12.23), 71st in kills per set (13.30), 51st in total assists (734) and 45th in total kills (798).
Individually, Vanessa Del Real ranks 29th in the NCAA in aces per set (.52) and 14th in total aces (31). Martina Villani ranks 62nd in assists per set (9.48) and 25th in total assists (469). Delaney Gash ranks 77th in total points (240), 68h in kills per set (3.95) and 45th in total kills (225). Maureen Mathews ranks 71st in total kills (214).
Double-Doubles
Delaney Gash leads the Zips with four double-doubles after posting a 21-kill, 14 dig performance against Ball State on Sept. 26. Martina Villani has recorded three, with the most recent coming at Ohio on Oct. 3 with a 53 assist, 15 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 six matches this season (vs Green Bay, at Cleveland State, vs ETSU, vs Cleveland State, vs Miami (OH), at Ohio), and have gone 5-1. The Zips have fallen in the first set nine times and have gone 3-6 in those matches.
What's Next?
Akron stays on the road as it travels to Central Michigan for a pair of conference contests on October 17 and 18.
