The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Kent State
Volleyball pushes Kent State to five sets, comes up short
November 02 | Women's Volleyball
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KENT, Ohio -- Akron tallied a season-high 13 service aces and pushed Kent State to the limit on the Flashes' home floor, but the Zips came up empty handed in five sets Saturday night, falling 25-19, 13-25, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7.
Alex Wiederholt paved the way offensively for Akron (6-17, 0-12), delivering 13 kills, her highest total of the season and two shy of tying her career mark.
Ashley Holder put together a solid performance as well, notching her fourth double-double of the season with 29 assists and 11 digs. The sophomore also contributed four aces, while Brenna Mack had five.
Holder was one of three Zips to rack up double-digit digs, joining Jill Paluch who led the team with 22 and Brenna Mack, also with 11.
Kent State (12-13, 6-6) fielded three players in double figures offensively in Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola (15 kills), Kelly Hutchison (13 kills) and Lauren Engleman (11 kills).
Wiederholt picked up four of her kills in the first set, sparking a late 4-0 Akron run that brought the Zips to within striking distance, trailing 23-19. Kent State called a timeout and quickly administered the two points it needed out of the huddle to take the first set.
The Zips owned the second set from the very first serve, as Holder guided Akron to a 4-0 lead out of the gate. UA would never trail in the frame, working methodically to build a 19-9 lead courtesy of a mammoth 10-2 run that even two KSU timeouts could not faze.
Akron stymied Kent State in its serve receive, scattering six of its aces throughout the second set, while out-hitting the Flashes .222 to .175. The Zips wasted no time in putting their rivals away and evening the match at one set apiece with an ace from Callie Mack.
After the break, KSU turned the tables and prevented UA from getting into any sort of rhythm in the third set. The Zips would come thundering back in the fourth, however, setting the tone with another 4-0 run under the serve of Holder to start.
Kent State kept working its way back into the mix, but failed to get any closer than two points. Julie Shallman and Wiederholt stepped up to issue big kills down the stretch as Akron hung on for the win to force a fifth set.
Unfortunately for Akron, the wind came out of its sails in the deciding set. The Zips were unable to make the best of a 3-all tie early on, as Kent State pounded its attack from the outside and UA suffered from untimely unforced errors on its own side of the net.
The Zips will return home for the final two weeks of the regular season, kicking off a four-match homestand on Thursday, Nov. 7 against Buffalo. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at James A. Rhodes Arena.
