Ohio Tops Akron Volleyball in Four Sets

Friday, October 2

Athens, Ohio

6:00 pm

University of Akron

6-9,1-2MAC

Ohio

10-4,3-0MAC

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Akron	23	16	25	16	1
Ohio	25	25	16	25	3

Akron Volleyball Rolls Past Youngstown State, 3-1

October 02 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio – The University of Akron volleyball team took a set but could not slow Ohio's attack Friday night, falling 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 16-25, 25-16) at the Convocation Center.
The Zips fell to 6-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Ohio improved to 10-4 overall and 3-0 in conference action. Akron finished with 46 kills, 40 assists, five service aces and five team blocks, but hit .154 as a team. Ohio hit .254.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening set was a tight one, with nine tie scores and four lead changes. Akron built a 16-12 advantage midway through the frame, and the Zips led 22-21 and 23-22 late. Ohio closed the set on a 3-0 run for a 25-23 win. Akron hit .091 in the set with 11 kills and eight errors, while Ohio hit .265.

Ohio took control in the second set, hitting .524 with 12 kills and just one error on 21 attempts. After a 10-10 tie, the Bobcats scored the next three points to lead 13-10 and held at least a two-point edge the rest of the way to win 25-16.

Akron answered in the third set, jumping out to a 6-0 lead and never trailing. The Zips led by as many as nine points, hit .214 with 11 kills, and forced 10 Ohio attack errors that held the Bobcats to a -.067 hitting percentage. Akron closed the set 25-16 to extend the match.

Ohio regained control in the fourth set, hitting .379 and serving four aces. Akron trimmed the deficit to 11-10 with a three-point run, but the Bobcats responded and led by as many as eight points before closing out the match, 25-16.

GAME NOTES
• Ohio takes the match: The Bobcats won 25-23, 25-16, 16-25 and 25-16, hitting .254 to Akron's .154.
• Gash leads the Zips: Delaney Gash had a team-high 11 kills and 14.5 points. She added two service aces, one solo block and one block assist, and had seven digs with no reception errors on 25 attempts.
• Aeschliman efficient at the net: Jordyn Aeschliman posted 10 kills and three errors on 25 attempts for a .280 hitting percentage. She added two solo blocks and 12.0 points.
• Wilson adds nine: Lauren Wilson recorded nine kills and handled 21 receptions.
• Ozoh contributes in all phases: Chidera Ozoh had six kills, hit .267 and added a solo block and a block assist for 7.5 points.
• Prascevic runs the offense: Masa Prascevic dished out 21 assists and added nine digs. Payton Evans and Clara Christensen each had eight assists, and the Zips finished with 40 as a team.
• Del Real serves and digs: Vanessa Del Real recorded two service aces, nine digs and 13 receptions.
• Third-set response: Akron hit .214 in the third set and led wire to wire, opening with a 6-0 run and forcing 10 Ohio errors.
• Tight opener: The first set featured nine tie scores and four lead changes before Ohio scored the final three points of the set.
• Ohio's balanced attack: Bailey Blair led all players with 12 kills and 13.5 points. Olivia Gardner added 11 kills and hit .526, and Rowan Kelly had 37 assists.
• Bobcats at the service line: Ohio had nine service aces, including four from Darbi Ricketts, against six service errors.
• Ohio's defense: The Bobcats recorded 44 digs and six team blocks to Akron's 39 digs and five blocks.
• Attendance: Friday's match drew 406 fans to the Convocation Center.

BY THE NUMBERS
46 – Akron kills in the match.
.154 – Akron's team hitting percentage.
.254 – Ohio's team hitting percentage.
11 – Kills by Delaney Gash, a team high.
10 – Kills by Jordyn Aeschliman, who hit .280.
14.5 – Points scored by Gash, a team high.
21 – Assists by Masa Prascevic.
.214 – Akron's hitting percentage in its third-set win.
-.067 – Ohio's hitting percentage in the third set.
13 – Tie scores in the match, nine of them in the first set.
9 – Ohio service aces.
5.0 – Akron team blocks.
406 – Attendance at the Convocation Center.
3-1 – Ohio's final margin.

UP NEXT
The Zips and the Bobcats will battle again on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4 p.m.