The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Arkansas St.
Volleyball Falls to Arkansas State, UAB on Opening Day
August 26 | Women's Volleyball
Akron vs. ASU (PDF Box)
Akron vs. UAB (PDF Box)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On the first day of the 2011 season, The University of Akron volleyball team lost in straight sets to Arkansas State (25-23, 25-22, 25-18) and UAB (26-24, 25-17, 25-15) at the UAB/Samford Invitational at Samford's Pete Hanna Center. Freshmen Kymberle Gordon and Mary Delich were highlights for the Zips (0-2), as both turned in impressive performances and each made their first career start.
Akron vs. Arkansas State
In the opening match, Akron battled Arkansas State (1-0) in all three sets but fell 3-0. The first two sets were neck-and-neck, with both teams trading points the whole way, but UA could not break through for a win. ASU opened up a lead in the third and final set, and Akron's try at a comeback fell short.
Against the Red Wolves, senior Tina Dimitrijevs led the Zips with 12 kills on 18 attacks and finished with a .444 hitting percentage and five total blocks. Gordon, who started the match, had an impressive performance with nine kills, two solo blocks and a .529 hitting percentage. Also turning in nine kills and two total blocks was Alex Wiederholt, a redshirt sophomore.
As a team, the Zips denied 8.0 attacks to ASU's 4.0 and earned 37 kills, compared to 40 by the Red Wolves. ASU finished with a .215 attack percentage, while Akron's percentage was .194.
With the first set tied at 4-4, ASU took two straight points for a 6-4 lead, but a solo block by Wiederholt earned the sideout for Akron. Again down by two, Morgan Kuhn and Dimitrijevs combined for a block to make it 8-7 in favor of the Red Wolves. A kill by Dimitrijevs tied the set on the next point at 8-8.
Dominating at the net, UA took the lead with another block from Dimitrijevs and Kuhn. With the score tied 11-11, the Zips reeled off three points in a row, capped by a block from Wiederholt and Dimitrijevs to give Akron its largest lead of the set at 14-11, causing ASU to call a timeout.
The Zips maintained a slim lead late, and after a decisive kill from Dimitrijevs that ended a long rally, UA led 20-17. Reclaiming the momentum, however, ASU evened the score at 21, forcing Akron to call its first timeout.
The Red Wolves did not back down, going up 24-22 and earning set point, but a kill from Gordon kept UA alive. However, Akron's serve went long on the next point and ASU claimed the first set, 25-23.
Akron came out swinging in the second set, winning the first two points, but ASU came right back to keep it close. Down 8-5, Akron rallied to win the next three points and even the tally at 8-8. The set continued to be back-and-forth, with neither team able to win more than two consecutive points.
A pair of monster kills by Dimitrjevs made the score 13-12 with Akron trailing by one. The Zips finally pulled even at 16 all, helped by a slam from Gordon. Akron again tied the score on a block by Dimitrijevs, but a service error on the ensuing point made it 19-18 ASU.
Down 23-20, Jarvis tipped a ball deep into the corner for a kill to keep the set within reach, but ASU won two of the next three points to take a two-set lead.
The third set started off like the previous two, with each team trading points. ASU took the early lead at 6-4. A solid kill by Gordon made it 6-5, but ASU stretched the lead to three after a block at the net. The Red Wolves then took three consecutive points for its largest lead of the match at 12-6.
Dimitrijevs tipped a ball to the sideline that fell in for a kill, but Akron still trailed 14-8. ASU scored the next three points, but the Zips won a hard-fought rally to stop the run. Two solo blocks by Gordon in the middle made the score 18-11. Fighting to stay alive, UA made it 22-16, including a kill by Wiederholt, forcing ASU to call a timeout.
Another slam from Wiederholt pulled UA to 23-17, but ASU won the next point to serve for match point. Dimitrijevs kept UA alive with a kill, but ASU won the next point to claim the set 25-18 and win in straight sets.
Akron vs. UAB
Against UAB (1-0) in the afternoon match, Akron jumped out to an early lead in the opening set and looked to have things in hand, but the Blazers came back and narrowly escaped with the 26-24 win. In the next two sets, the Zips could not keep it close and UAB took advantage and did not allow Akron back into the match.
With another good showing, Gordon led the Zips with a match-high 12 kills, followed by Wiederholt with six. Dimitrijevs also had a solid performance with five kills and a .455 hitting percentage. Delich, earning her first start, finished with five kills, two service aces, six digs and three blocks as another bright spot for the Zips.
In the first set, Delich scored Akron's first point with a kill to the left corner. UAB jumped out to an early 4-2 lead, but the Zips came back to take a 6-4 advantage behind two kills from senior Courtney Jarvis and a big block by Wiederholt and Gordon. A kill on the right side by Gordon put the Zips up 8-6, but the Blazers took the next three points to go up 9-8. A sneaky attack from Kuhn tied it at 10 all, and a fierce spike by Dimitrijevs made it 11-10, Zips.
With the score knotted at 12, Jarvis found a hole in the middle of the floor for a kill. Akron then built its lead to 17-13, forcing UAB to call a timeout. After the break, Gordon slammed one home to give UA a five-point advantage.
After being down 21-15, UAB rallied to take the next four points and draw within just two. Out of a timeout, the Blazers continued their rally and tied the set at 21 all. The Zips managed to score again, but UAB took a 24-22 lead to earn set point. Back-to-back kills from the right side by Dimitrijevs kept UA alive and tied it at 24. Wiederholt's attack was denied at the net on the next point, and UAB put the set away at 26-24.
In the second set, Delich again scored Akron's first point, but UAB took an early 6-1 lead, forcing a UA timeout. The Blazers continued to widen their lead, rattling off five consecutive points before making an attack error. With Akron in a hole 13-4, Jarvis tipped a deep kill and Gordon followed with another kill to make it 13-6.
UAB answered on the next point and extended the margin to 15-7. Trying to climb back in it, Delich and Dimitrijevs combined for a block to make it 16-10. A pair of blocking errors by UAB helped out the Zips, but the gap remained seven at 19-12. Trailing 21-14, UA used a timeout to try to regroup.
The Zips won the first point out of the break and a UAB service error made it 22-16. Not to be stopped, UAB made it to set point, but Delich sent a kill to the middle to keep the set alive. The Blazers ended it on the next point, 25-17.
This time, a Dimitrijevs kill to the left sideline put Akron on the board first in the third, and the Zips took an early 3-2 lead. A pair of kills by Gordon made it 6-3 in favor of UA, causing UAB to use a timeout. Gordon tallied another kill for Akron, but the Blazers answered right back with a kill of their own. UAB tied it at 7-7 on an Akron error and then took a 9-8 lead on a deep kill a few points later.
With Akron down 12-10, a kill by Gordon earned a sideout, but UAB stretched its lead to 15-11. A pair of failed attacks gave UAB two more points, as the Zips again faced a tough deficit. Akron responded with two consecutive points to make it 17-13, but a long serve stopped the run. Wiederholt notched another kill, but Akron could not stop UAB from scoring.
After an Akron timeout, UA won the first point but soon found itself down 23-15. The Blazers took the next two to end the match in straight sets.
The Zips will return to the floor Saturday, Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. ET against Troy for their final match of the tournament.
