The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio
Alex Cocklin surpasses 1,000 career kills in Volleyball's loss to Ohio
November 01 | Women's Volleyball
Follow Akron Volleyball on Twitter and Facebook | Buy Tickets
Final Statistics | Final Statistics (PDF) | Season Statistics
ATHENS, Ohio -- Alex Cocklin surpassed 1,000 career kills and Alex Wiederholt registered a .667 attack percentage, but the senior duo was unable to carry Akron past Ohio in a Mid-American Conference East Division matchup Friday night.
The Zips came up short against the Bobcats on the road, falling in three sets (25-14, 25-17, 25-13). The result brings Akron to 6-16 overall and 0-11 in the MAC, while Ohio moves to 19-4 and 9-2 in the conference.
Cocklin entered the match needing just one kill to reach the career milestone, and she found it halfway through the first set off an assist from Ashley Holder. Cocklin would finish the night with eight kills to go with eight digs.
Wiederholt posted six kills in the effort without an error in nine attempts, but it would be freshman Julie Shallman who led the way offensively with a team-high nine kills.
Ohio was paced by Mallory Salis (12 kills) and Liis Kullerkann (nine kills).
The second set proved to be the most tightly contested of the evening. Akron worked its way to an early 7-5 lead, aided by a block from Shallman and Holder and a Shallman kill. The score tied three times before a Mary Delich kill made it 11-all.
Ohio ran away with six straight points to take a 17-11 lead, but the Zips countered with a run of their own. Wiederholt and Cocklin teamed up for three kills and Callie Mack snuck in a service ace to cut the deficit to two at 17-15 and force the Bobcats to call timeout.
Another kill from Shallman several plays later saw Akron trailing by three with the score 20-17 in Ohio's favor, but the Bobcats rallied for five points in a row to end the set.
UA's defense in the back row was strengthened by Jill Paluch's team-high 18 digs.
Akron returns to the floor Saturday for its final road match of the regular season when it travels to neighborhood rival Kent State as part of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. First serve at the M.A.C. Center is set for 7 p.m. The Golden Flashes defeated Buffalo in five sets Friday night.
