Tournament Preview: Akron Concludes Non-Conference Play With Maryland Challenge

Follow Akron Volleyball on Facebook and Twitter

THIS WEEK
This week Akron will battle three different non-conference opponents at the Maryland Challenge in College Park, Md., on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 17-18 to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule. The Zips open the two-day event on Friday against Maryland at 7 p.m. Akron and Columbia will battle on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., before closing out the final day with Stony Brook at 4:30 p.m. at the XFINITY Pavilion. All matches will be streamed live on B1G+ Fans can also follow the action via live stats on GoZips.com.

GAME COVERAGE
BIG10+: All three matches will be streamed on the B1G+ Network. A paid subscription to the B1G+ Network is needed in order to access the matches.

Akron vs. Maryland
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3zhot8K
B1G+: https://bit.ly/3hDBu6A

Akron vs. Columbia
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3zhot8K
B1G+: https://bit.ly/3nAYWoM

Akron vs. Stony Brook
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3zhot8K
B1G+: https://bit.ly/3lu5Kls

ABOUT THE ZIPS
The Akron Zips volleyball team stands 6-3 overall after going 2-1 last weekend at the DePaul Invite claiming victories against Penn (3-1) and DePaul (3-2) and dropping a 3-0 decision against Oakland.

Following the tournament, senior Megan Kelly (Lakewood, Ill.) was named to the DePaul All-Tournament Team. For the tournament Kelly tallied 23 kills on 53 total attempts and registered 9 blocks.

The Akron Zips volleyball program opens its seventh year under the direction head coach Tom Hanna. The Zips return 13 players from last season's shortened Spring campaign, including the 2020 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and second-team All-MAC selection in senior libero Taylor Sharrits (Concord, Ohio). In 90 sets (22 matches) played last season, Sharrits anchored the Zips' defense with a career-high 535 total digs and 5.94 digs per set. She finished regular season play ranking No. 1 in the NCAA in total digs and No. 5 in the nation in digs per set, and after the NCAA women's volleyball championships, she ranked No. 2 in total digs and No. 6 in digs per set.

Sharrits led the MAC in both categories and rewrote Akron's record book in digs and digs per set, moving to eighth all-time in single-season dig performances, while claiming the best single-season digs per set performance in program history. In addition, Sharrits owns 2,028 career digs in 435 sets played (114 matches), which ranks first all-time at Akron.

Sharrits collected two MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors and registered 20 or more digs in 15 matches with six performances delivering 30-plus digs. She posted a career-best 41 digs against Toledo. That performance ranks third all-time at Akron. In addition, Sharrits was recently named to the 2021 East Division All-MAC team

The Zips return 5-of-6 top attackers and from last season as senior LS Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio), senior RS Teagan Ochaya (Mentor, Ohio), junior LS Jen Durra (Painesville, Ohio), junior MB Megan Kelly (Lakewood, Ill.) and freshman LS/RS Faith Johnson (Naperville, Ill.) all collected over 100 kills last year. Adleta led the squad with 279 kills (3.24 k/set) followed by Ochaya (169 K, 2.06 K/set), Durra (137 K, 2.08 K/set), Kelly (127 K, 1.41 K/set) and Johnson (101 K, 1.80 K/set).

This group also made an impact on the defensive side of the net as Kelly paced the Zips blocking efforts with 83 total blocks and added 19 digs, while junior MB Hannah Yaconis (Batavia, Ill.) ranked second in denying attacks with 55 total blocks. Other contributors included, Adleta (233 digs, 29 blocks), Durra (107 digs, 17 blocks), Ochaya (65 digs, 41 blocks) and Johnson (65 digs, 14 blocks). In addition, sophomore DS Lauren Latka (Zionsville, Ind.) collected 102 digs.

Assisting the majority of Akron's points in 2020 was senior S Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio), tossing 598 assists or 6.64 assists per set. In addition, Weigand distributed the team's most service aces (45) and added 34 kills, 186 digs and four blocks. Her 45 service aces ranked No. 1 in MAC play and No. 2 in the NCAA.

Last Time Out

In the first match, Akron served undefeated Penn by scores of 19-25, 26-24, 26-21, and 25-21 as senior LS Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio) and senior RS Teagan Ochaya (Mentor, Ohio) powered the Zips' offense with 13 kills each. Freshman MB Karleighana Jones (While Plains, N.Y.) registered nine kills and posted a team-best .533 hitting percentage.

The defense above the net had a strong showing as Akron tallied 11 total blocks led by Jones with six blocks with one solo and five block assists.

Akron claimed the nightcap in a five-set thriller by scores of 15-25, 25-18, 25-19, 20-25, and 15-11. Ochaya led with a match-high 20 kills, while Kelly registered 10 kills with a .429 hitting percentage. Weigand tossed 40 of the Zips' 42 assists, while Sharrits anchored the Zips' defense with 23 digs

In the tournament finale, Akron fell in three to Oakland with scores of 10-25, 20-25, and 15-25. Oakland posted 41 kills for the match, which was 19 more than the Zips' total of 25. Senior LS Jen Durra (Painesville, Ohio) paced the Zips with a team-high total of six kills, while Kelly tallied five kills.

Sharrits Breaks School Record
Last week in the game against DePaul, Sharrits broke the 29-year-old program record of career digs as her 11th dig of the match sent her past Karen Godzinski who held the program record at 2,007. Sharrits finished the match with 23 total digs, giving her 2,020 for her career. Sharrits currently leads the program with 2,028 career digs.

Chasing Milestones
In addition, Akron assists leader senior S Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio) ranks fifth all-time at Akron with 3,776 assists. She is 224 assists away from eclipsing the 4,000 career assists threshold. Kim Schaper (1996-99) is Akron's all-time leader with 5,619 assists.

Chasing 1,000 career mark is senior LS Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio). Adleta is nearing 1,000 kills and digs, needing 26 kills for the 1,000 mark with 974 career kills and 213 digs to reach 1,000 with 787 total digs.

SCOUTING MARYLAND
Friday's match marks the seventh meeting in series history between Akron and Maryland. Maryland holds a 5-1 all-time series record over Akron, claiming a 3-0 victory over the Zips in the last meeting back on Aug. 31, 2019.

Maryland comes into the weekend undefeated at 9-0 with seven sweeps on the season. The Terps have won 14 consecutive sets dating back to Friday, September 3 against Temple. Nationally, Maryland as a team holds the second-best opponents hitting percentage, holding teams to .085 percentage. A reason for that strong defensive hitting percentage is their presence at the net, as Maryland ranks fifth in the nation in blocks per set, averaging 3.15 over their first nine matches. Averaging 1.85 blocks per set, Rainelle Jones sits third in the nation individually, helping Maryland's strong presence at net. Jones also ranks ninth in the nation in total blocks, having collected 48 total blocks. Setting the offense for Maryland is Sydney Dowler, who has 334 assists, the most in the BIG10 and is averaging 11.13 assists pet set, the 13th best average in the country.

SCOUTING COLUMBIA
Akron and Columbia are meeting for the second time in series history with the Zips leading the series,1-0. The last time the two teams met was during the 2005 season with Akron posting a 3-0 win over Columbia.

Columbia is coming off a 1-2 showing at the Big Apple Tournament with wins over St. Francis Brooklyn (3-1) and Iona (3-1), while dropping a 3-0 decision to Seton Hall. Columbia's Vanessa Pan and Noelle Foster both had strong performances over the tournament, and they were awarded Big Apple All-Tournament honors. Pan, who is the team's starting libero, finished with 45 total digs at 4.09 digs per set. While on the outside, Foster hit at .416 percentage and finished with 44 kills. Isa Lamus paces Columbia with a team-high 47 kills, averaging 2.44 kills per set and a .333 hitting percentage.

SCOUTING STONY BROOK
Saturday's match marks the second meeting in series history between Akron and Stony Brook. Akron holds a 1-0 all-time series record, claiming a 3-0 victory over the Seawolves in the last meeting back in the 2018 season.

Stony Brook stands 4-7 overall after posting a 2-1 performance at the Stony Brook Invitational. The Seawolves secured wins over Tarleton (3-1) and St. Thomas (3-0), and fell to Yale (1-3). Leoni Kunz was tabbed to the Stony Brook Invitational All-Tournament Team and compiled 51 kills on .262 hitting and picked up 36 digs. She averaged 3.64 kills, 3.95 points, and 2.57 digs per set as the Seawolves went 2-2 over the course of four matches this past week. Amiyah De'Long paces the Seawolves' offense with a team-high112 kills, averaging 2.80 kills per set.

On defense, Kiani Kerstetter leads the team with 121 digs averaging 3.03 digs per set. Abby Campbell and Entin Omolewa have a strong showing at the net, each tallying 30 total blocks.

2021 MAC Volleyball East Division Predictions
1. Bowling Green – 72 points (12 first place votes)
2. Kent State – 53 points
3. Miami – 51 points
4. Ohio – 37 points
5. Akron – 25 points
6. Buffalo – 14 points

2021 MAC Volleyball West Division Predictions
1. Central Michigan – 63 points (5 first place votes)
2. Ball State – 60 points (3)
3. Western Michigan – 49 points (3)
4. Toledo – 36 points (1)
5. Northern Illinois – 26 points
6. Eastern Michigan – 18 points

Predicted Tournament Champion: Bowling Green (10), Kent State (1), Western Michigan (1)

East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Taylor Sharrits, Akron
Petra Indrova, Bowling Green
Hanna Laube, Bowling Green
Katelyn Meyer, Bowling Green
Milla Malik, Buffalo
Alex Haffner, Kent State
Savannah Matthews, Kent State

West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Lauren Gilliland, Ball State
Marie Plitt, Ball State
Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez, Central Michigan
Savannah Thompson, Central Michigan
Taylor Alt, Toledo
Logan Case, Western Michigan
Maggie King, Western Michigan

UP NEXT FOR THE ZIPS
Akron will return home and begin conference play next week on Sept. 24-25 as the Zips host Bowling Green. The Zips are scheduled to play Friday at 7 p.m. and will close out the weekend on Saturday with a 4 p.m. start. Fans can follow the all the action via live stats on GoZips.com.

AKRON QUICK HITS

Megan Kelly was named to the DePaul Invite. For the tournament Kelly tallied 23 kills on 53 total attempts and registered 9 blocks.
Taylor Sharrits is not the program leader with 2,027 career-digs
Emily Weigand ranks 34^th in the country in assists (220)
Weigand reached 1,000 career digs last week and has 1,004 career-digs
Akron's three wins to start season best start since 2013

Tournament Preview: Akron Concludes Non-Conference Play With Maryland Challenge

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Alexis Adleta

Alexis Adleta

Jen Durra

Faith Johnson

Karleighana Jones

Megan Kelly

Lauren Latka

Teagan Ochaya

Taylor Sharrits

Emily Weigand

Hannah Yaconis

The University of Akron Athletics