Zips To Host Bowling Green For 2021 Home Opener

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AKRON, Ohio- The Akron Volleyball team (6-6) will open Mid-American Conference play with Bowling Green (4-6). Both matches will be played in James A. Rhodes Arena. The first match begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, and the second match begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25.

GAME COVERAGE
Akron vs. Bowling Green | Friday, Sept. 24
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3u5vsk5
ESPN+: https://es.pn/3kzJRBO
Tickets: Single Game Tickets

Akron vs. Bowling Green | Saturday, Sept. 25
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3u5vsk5
Tickets: Single Game Tickets

COVID-19 Guidelines for James A. Rhodes Arena and the Stile Athletics Field House
• No requirement to be vaccinated to enter James A. Rhodes Arena and/or the Stile Athletics Field House.
• Regardless of vaccination status, spectators and guests must wear a mask that fully covers the nose and mouth at all indoor spaces including lobbies, elevators, restrooms, hallways, stairways and at their seats unless eating or drinking.

The University currently requires everyone to wear a mask/face covering while in indoor public areas (not private offices and residences) across all campuses.

Masks/facial coverings continue to be required outdoors for unvaccinated individuals when they cannot maintain social distancing.

The University will continue to monitor conditions and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the State of Ohio and Summit County Public Health and adjust masking protocols as needed. Please follow GoZips.com, the Akron Athletics app and all Zips' social media platforms for the most recent and up-to-date information.

ABOUT THE ZIPS
The Akron Zips volleyball team, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Tom Hanna, stand 6-6 overall after dropping three matches last weekend at the Maryland Challenge. The Zips dropped a 3-0 match to Maryland on the opening day, and fell to Columbia, 3-1, and Stony Brook, 3-2 on Saturday.

Following the tournament, senior Teagan Ochaya (Mentor, Ohio) was named to the Maryland Challenge All-Tournament Team. For the tournament Ochaya tallied 38 kills, 3.17 K/S, .231 hitting percentage, and three blocks.

Offensively, the Zips are led by a pair of heavy hitters in Ochaya and senior Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio) with 141 kills (2.94 per set) and 104 kills (2.60 per set), respectively. Senior Megan Kelly (Lakewood, Ill.) and sophomore Faith Johnson (Naperville, Ill.) follow with 83 and 69 total kills. Setter Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio) leads the team with 417 assists (8.69) per set). Johnson leads the squad with a team-best 28 service aces.

Defensively, the Zips have a duo of players with over 100 digs in senior Taylor Sharrits (Concord, Ohio) with 182 digs, and Weigand with 135. Above the net, Kelly holds a team-high 41 blocks, while freshman Karleighana Jones (White Plains, N.Y.) and Ochaya have blocked 29 and 27, respectively.

LAST TIME OUT
Akron fought hard forcing five sets but came up short against Stony Brook by scores of 23-25, 25-19, 17-25, 28-26, and 9-15.

Two Zips registered double-figure kills in Adleta with 14 and Durra (Painesville, Ohio) who tallied 12. Weigand recorded a match-high 23 digs, while Johnson and freshman Karleighana Jones (White Plains, N.Y.) held strong at the net with a trio of block assists each.

The Zips took won the second set after holding the Lions to a .184 hitting percentage. In the fourth set, Akron took advantage of multiple unanswered runs and took an early 7-1 lead. The two teams would tie the score 11 times before the Zips would claim the No.4 set in extra points.

Both teams battled in the final set as the score was even on five separate occasions before Stony Brook used a 7-1 run to claim the match.

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 2,065 career digs.

CHASING MILESTONES
In addition, Akron assists leader senior S Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio) ranks fifth all-time at Akron with 3,877 assists. She is 123 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 14 kills for the 1,000 mark with 986 career kills and 211 digs to reach 1,000 with 788 total digs.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
The Falcons, under 10th-year head coach Danijela Tomic, currently sit at 4-6 overall after sweeping Oakland, 3-0 on Sunday, Sept. 19.

Offensively, the Falcons are led by a pair of heavy hitters in Petra Indrova and Kately Meyer with 138 kills (3.54 per set) and 125 kills (3.21 per set), respectively. Kat Mandly and Katie Kidwell follow with 78 and 75 total kills. Setter Hanna Laube leads the team with 341 assists (9.74) per set). Yelianiz Torres distributed a team-best 29 service aces.

Defensively, the Falcons have three players with over 100 digs as Julia Walz leads the way with 127 (3.26 per set), followed by Torres with 116 (3.31 per set),) and Indrova 109 (2.79 per set). Above the net, the Falcons are led by Kidwell in total blocks with 40 of the team's 75 blocks followed by Indrova (26), and Nikolija Katanic (16).

SERIES VS. BGSU
Bowling Green leads the all-time series over Akron, 45-17 as Bowling Green took both matches last season. Bowling Green defeated Akron in five sets 3-2 in the first meeting, and took a 3-1 victory in the second.

AKRON QUICK HITS

Ochaya was named to the Maryland Challenge All-Tournament Team. For the tournament she tallied 38 kills, 3.17 K/S, .231 hitting percentage, and three blocks.
Taylor Sharrits leads the program with 2,065 career-digs
As a team, the Zips rank 2^nd in MAC stats in Team Total Kills (1,621)
Kelly ranks 3^rd in MAC Stats with 41 blocks

UP NEXT
The Zips will continue conference competition as they travel to Oxford, Ohio Sept. 30-Oct. 1. On Friday, Sept. 30, Akron will face Miami for a 6 p.m. match. The Zips and RedHawks will face off the following night at 6 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Alexis Adleta

Alexis Adleta

Faith Johnson

Karleighana Jones

Megan Kelly

Teagan Ochaya

Taylor Sharrits

Emily Weigand

Emily Weigand

The University of Akron Athletics