The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Toledo
Volleyball drops three-set contest to Toledo on the road
October 05 | Women's Volleyball
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TOLEDO, Ohio – Julia Smagacz posted a team-high 14 kills and Karley Kusan recorded her second straight double-double, but it was not enough to push the Zips past Toledo on the road in a 3-0 loss Saturday night at Savage Arena.
Kusan tallied 32 assists and 14 digs and Alex Cocklin joined Smagacz in double-digit kills with 11 as the Zips fell 25-20, 25-17, 25-20. Jill Paluch added 10 digs as the Zips narrowly out-dug the Rockets, 43-41.
With the result, UA dropped to 6-9 overall and 0-4 in the Mid-American Conference, while Toledo moved to 9-8 and 2-2 in the league.
Akron built an 11-6 lead to start the first set, but UT countered with an 8-1 run to put the score at 14-12 in its favor. A Toledo attack error knotted the score at 14-all before the Rockets went on a tear, scoring on seven of the next eight plays, including six unanswered points, to go ahead 21-15.
A kill from Smagacz followed by a block from Kusan and Kelsey Wilson cut the Zips' deficit to four, until two Akron errors guided the Rockets to their first set point with the score at 24-17. The Zips posted three-straight scores thanks to a pair of Cocklin kills, but a service error proved to be enough to give the first set to Toledo.
Another 8-1 run midway through the second set put the Rockets ahead 19-7 before the Zips answered with a 6-1 run of their own to force a Toledo timeout. UT worked the score to 24-16 and only needed a pair of looks at set point before a final kill sank Akron into a 2-0 hole.
The Zips clung to a late advantage in the third set after tying the score at 16 and 17, going ahead 19-18 on a Smagacz kill. Toledo went off for six unanswered points to bring up match point at 24-19. One last kill from Cocklin was not quite enough to hold off UT though, as they earned the victory on an Akron attack error.
Akron stays on the road next weekend when it travels to Miami (Ohio) on Friday, Oct. 11 for a 7 p.m. contest, followed by a clash at Bowling Green on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.
