The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Central Michigan
Volleyball falters in 3-1 loss to Central Michigan
October 26 | Women's Volleyball
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MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Despite a strong performance from its middle blockers, Akron was unable to extend its momentum from a decisive first set victory in a 3-1 loss to Central Michigan on the road Saturday night.
The Zips (6-15, 0-10) were led offensively by Alex Wiederholt with 12 kills – eight of which came in the first set – Alex Cocklin with 11 kills, and Julie Shallman with a career-high 10 kills. Shallman also chipped in one solo block and five block-assists.
Cocklin picked up her fifth double-double of the year with 12 digs in the effort, while falling just one kill short of reaching 1,000 for her career. The senior was one of three Zips to finish the night with double-digit digs, joined by Jill Paluch with a match-high 24 and Ashley Holder with 11.
Central Michigan (11-11, 5-5) had four players hit for double figures, led by Kaitlyn McIntyre (19 kills) and Hallie Enderle (14 kills).
UA all but ran away with the first set, but struggled to play catch up the rest of the way as the Chippewas won the last three sets (20-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-15).
After starting the match on a service error, Akron scored four straight points to take an early 4-1 lead.
The Zips worked to build a four-point advantage at 12-8, thanks to back-to-back kills from Wiederholt, and maintained a five-point cushion until their first set point opportunity with the score at 24-19.
CMU postponed the result for one play on a kill from Enderle, but Julia Smagacz stepped in to deliver the winning kill from the outside to put Akron up 1-0. The Zips out-hit Central .455 to .286 in the opening stanza.
The second set stayed close in the early going until the Chippewas took an 8-7 Akron lead and turned it into a 14-9 lead of their own, courtesy of a 7-1 run, to force a UA timeout. Kills from Wilson and Cocklin and a block from Shallman and Holder closed the gap to three points at 18-15, but that is as close as the Zips would get in the second period. CMU scored on four of the last five plays to even the match at one set apiece.
A 6-1 Akron run midway through the third set gave the Zips a slim lead at the 18-17 mark as they capitalized off several CMU errors at the net. The score tied at 19 and again at 20 after another Wiederholt kill, but the Chippewas surged ahead with three straight points. It only took CMU two looks at set point to seal the third set on a McIntyre kill.
Trailing by two at 17-15 in the fourth set, the Zips fell victim to an 8-0 CMU run that decided the match.
Akron returns to the court next weekend for its final road trip of the regular season, traveling to Ohio on Friday, Nov. 1, and Kent State on Saturday, Nov. 2. Both matches are slated for a 7 p.m. start.
