The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio
Volleyball drops four set battle with Ohio
November 07 | Women's Volleyball
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AKRON, Ohio -- Despite a strong second set performance, the University of Akron volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Mid-American Conference leader Ohio Friday night at James A. Rhodes Arena (25-18, 21-25, 25-12, 25-14).
The result moves Akron to 8-20 overall and 2-11 in the Mid-American Conference, while Ohio improves to 20-4 and 13-0 in league play.
The Zips tallied 11 blocks as a team, but were ultimately unable to tame the hot-hitting Bobcats who posted a .356 hitting percentage and combined for 62 kills.
Julie Shallman led the UA attack, posting seven kills without a miscue for a .583 clip. Dragana Micic and Julia Smagacz registered nine kills apiece ending the match with nine kills apiece, while Karley Kusan put up 31 assists for the match.
Defensively, libero Brenna Mack picked up 12 digs followed by Ashley Holder with 10. Senior Mary Delich led UA with six total blocks (three solo and three block-assists), and Shallman chipped in three solo stuffs of her own.
Ohio was paced by Kelly Lamberti (19 kills), Jaime Kosiorek (12 kills) and Abby Gilleland (43 assists, 13 digs).
The Zips struggled to overcome early Ohio's early momentum as the Bobcats held a 10-2 advantage to start the first set. Akron chipped away at the deficit with a kill by Shallman followed by a pair of kills from Smagacz to bring the Zips to within five points of the Bobcats at 17-12.
Three-straight Bobcat attack errors and a service ace by Holder combined to hold Ohio at set point as the Zips scored on four of the final five points. A kill from Ohio's Kosiorek would seal the first set at 25-18.
The Zips kept their energy high, jumping out to a 4-2 lead in the second set. The teams battled and traded points as the set saw 14 ties and five lead changes. UA did not fall behind until back-to-back Bobcat kills gave Ohio a short-lived 18-16 lead.
Shallman registered her fourth kill of the match to initiate a four point run for the Zips as they led 23-19 after a service ace from Mack. A Smagacz kill and a Bobcat attack error handed Akron a 25-21 victory in the second set to tie the match at one.
Following a four-all tie to start the third, Ohio scored six of the next seven points with kills from three different hitters for a 10-5 lead. The Zips struggled on the attack as the Bobcats registered a .516 clip in the frame and scored seven uninterrupted points to close the third set, 25-12.
Ohio ended the final set in a similar fashion. With the Zips trailing by a slim 15-12 margin, the Bobcats would score on 10 of the last 12 sequences to claim a 25-14 victory and ice the match.
Akron is back in action Saturday night at 5 p.m. for the final home match of the 2014 slate. The Zips will host crosstown rival Kent State at Rhodes Arena in the second installment of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. Delich, Akron's lone senior, will be honored in a ceremony postgame after the final home contest of her career.
