The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Buffalo
Volleyball dominates in MAC opener with 3-0 rout of Buffalo
September 20 | Women's Volleyball
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron volleyball team was prepared to make a statement in its 2012 Mid-American Conference opener Thursday night and it did so in a big way, issuing Buffalo a 3-0 shutout in front of a lively home crowd.
The win marked Akron's first sweep of UB at home since the 2009 season, and brought the Zips' record to 11-9 in conference-opening matches.
UA's middles were all but unstoppable on both sides of the ball all night, as Tina Dimitrijevs and Paiton Twitty both finished hitting well above .500 with 13 and 11 kills from Morgan Kuhn's 36 assists. As a team, the Zips out-hit the Bulls .311 to .114, and limited themselves to just 13 attack errors in 103 attempts.
Jill Paluch played well up to her MAC Defensive Player of the Week potential posting a match-high 16 digs, though both teams finished locked at 40 digs apiece. The defensive edge tilted in Akron's favor though due to the blocking advantage led by Twitty. The Zips put together nine total blocks, Twitty with two solo and one assist, compared to Buffalo's four team blocks.
Akron (8-5, 1-0) started off in a hole in the first set, down by as many as four points before clawing its way back to tie the score at 16 on a Buffalo error. Alex Cocklin delivered one of her five kills of the set on the very next play to give Akron its first lead of the night.
Service errors hurt Akron late in the set, and the two teams shuffled back and forth, trading points and tying the score eight more times. The Zips saw three set points slip away before Dimitrijevs scored the first of two consecutive points to put Akron on top once and for all at 28-26.
Their confidence growing with every play, the Zips came out of the gate in the second set with an 8-3 lead. Dimitrijevs served four straight points and Twitty denied two big blocks at the net to highlight the early run.
Akron would never relinquish its hold on the set, exhibiting its dominance that seemed to be the theme of the night and showcasing its largest of 10 at two different points. The Zips held UB to a meager .061 hitting percentage in the period. Mary Delich came in to play the front row and put down three strategically placed kills to help UA lock up the second set by a 25-17 final score.
Heading into the break, the Zips found themselves in a good position up two sets to none. Akron is 6-0 this season when leading 2-0 after two sets.
The third win didn't come easy, but Akron got it done in regulation with a 25-21 victory. Buffalo scored first on a quick service ace but that is the only time it would lead. The score tied late in the game, on every score from 16 to 21, before the Zips were truly able to break away. It was only fitting that Akron zipped up its first MAC victory of the season with two key blocks on the right side from Dimitrijevs and Delich.
Akron will have one day to rest before traveling to MAC West Division foe Ball State (8-6, 1-0) on Saturday, Sept. 22. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Cardinals defeated Toledo in straight sets Thursday evening.
