The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Toledo
Zips Host Toledo and Bowling Green This Week
October 16 | Women's Volleyball
How To Follow
Thursday: Stats | Video (ESPN+)
Friday: Stats | Video (ESPN+)
Inside The Series
Toledo
All-Time: 28-32
First Met: 1974 (W, 2-0)
Last Met: Oct. 21, 2023 (L, 2-3)
Norton vs Toledo: 0-3
The Zips are 28-32 all-time against the Rockets. Akron took the first five meetings against Toledo with the Zips going 10-1 combined in those matches. Akron also went 12-1 against Toledo stretching from Nov. 5, 1994 from Oct. 23, 2003 that featured the Zips winning 10-straight against the Rockets. The two sides have gone 4-4 over the last eight matches with the Rockets winning the last four.
Bowling Green
All-Time: 21-48
First Met: 1975 (W, 2-0)
Last Met: Nov. 4, 2023 (L, 0-3)
Norton vs Bowling Green: 0-4
Akron holds a 21-48 all-time record against the Falcons. The Zips won the inaugural meeting in 1975 2-0 at home. Bowling Green has taken control of the series as of late, winning nine of the last 10 meetings and 19 of the last 20 with Akron last defeating the Falcons 3-1 on October 4, 2019, on the road.
Stat Leaders
Akron: Kills: Lauren Baker (263) | Assists: Eliska Vytiskova (512) | Points: Lauren Baker (306) | Aces: Vanessa Del Real (25) | Digs: Vanessa Del Real (275) | Blocks: Karleighana Jones (73)
Toledo: Kills: Taylor Alt (262) | Assists: Macy Hatkevich (592) | Points: Taylor Alt (305.5) | Aces: Taylor Alt (25) | Digs: Grace Freiberger (281) | Blocks: Sierra Pertzborn (74)
Bowling Green: Kills: Laurn Howey (204) | Assists: Amanda Otten (527) | Points: Laurn Howey (263.5) |Â Aces: Laurn Howey (32) | Digs: Lindsey LaPinta (238) | Blocks: Jessica Andrews (86)
Zips At AÂ Glance
Akron enters with a 8-11 overall record,a 4-3 record in conference and a 3-5 record at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Zips recently went 1-2 the past week with a road win at Miami (OH) and losses to Buffalo and Ball State.
Against Buffalo, The Zips offense was paced by Emanouela Christodoulou, who finished with 17 kills on the day while accumulating a hitting percentage of .350. Lauren Baker added 17 and Karleighana Jones chipped in with 10. Eliska Vytiskova recorded the first of two double-doubles on the week with a season-high 45 assists and added 10 digs against the Bulls.
Akron saw a pair of career-highs from Baker and Christodoulou in a 3-1 victory over the Miami RedHawks to earn a 3-1 victory. The Zips were led by a double-double from Baker, who registered a career-high 25 kills and added 14 digs along with hitting .389. Emanouela Christodoulou added a career-high 22 kills to help the offense while hitting .333 against the RedHawks. Vytiskova contributed a double-double with 43 assists and 13 digs to help the Zips secure the road victory.
So far this season Baker leads the Zips in kills (263) and points (306), Eliska Vytiskova is the leader in assists (512) while Vanesa Del Real is the leader in digs (275) and aces (26). Jones leads the Zips in blocks (73).
Akron is in the top-5 in the MAC for points per set (4th - 16.41), total points (2nd - 1280) hitting percentage (t3rd - .225, total assists (2nd - 948), assists per set (3rd - 12.15), total kills (2nd - 994), kills per set (5th - 12.74), fewest blocks allowed per set (5th - 1.97), fewest aces allowed per set (5th - 1.37) aces per set (4th - 1.74) and total aces (1st - 136).Â
Individually, Akron sees Karleighana Jones ranked third in hitting percentage (.399), seventh in total blocks (73) and eighth in blocks per set (.99) Lauren Baker ranks first in total kills (263), fifth in kills per set (3.42), first in total points (306) and fifth in points per set (3.97). Vanesa Del Real is third in total aces (26) and eighth in aces per set (.33). Eliska Vytiskova is seventh in total assists (514) and ninth in assists per set (6.59).
As a team, the Zips rank 61st in aces per set (1.74), 73rd in assists per set (12.15), 6th in total assists (948), 38th in total digs (1,110), 9th in total kills (994),14th in total aces (136), and 90th in total blocks (150).
Individually, Lauren Baker is ranked 38th in points (306), and 43rd in total kills (263). Emanouela Christodoulou ranks 75th in total kills (240). Vanesa Del Real ranks 89th in total digs (250) and aces (26). Karleighana Jones ranks 89th in blocks (73).
SCOUTING REPORT
Toledo: The Rockets enter the week with a 12-7 overall record, a 5-2 record in the MAC and a 2-3 record on the road. Toledo has been near perfect at home, posting a 7-1 record with the only home loss coming in MAC play to Bowling Green when they fell 3-2 on October 1.Â
Toledo is in a four way tie for second in the MAC with Central Michigan, Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan.
Since losing to Bowling Green, Toledo has gone 3-1 over its last four games and is riding a three game winning streak. The Rockets split a series with Ohio before defeating Central Michigan 3-1 and Eastern Michigan 3-0.
After facing Akron on Thursday, Toledo will travel to battle conference leading Buffalo on Friday.
Taylor Alt leads the Rockets in kills (262), points (306.5) and aces (25). Macy Hatkevich leads the way with 592 assists, Grace Freiberger leads Toledo in digs with 281 while Sierra Pertzborn leads the Rockets with 74 blocks.
In the MAC, Toledo is third in points per set (16.56), holds opponents to the second lowest hitting percentage (.179), holds the third highest hitting percentage (.225), third lowest in opponent assists per set (11.04), third lowest in opponent kills per set (11.78), first in opponent blocks per set (1.86), fifth in blocks per set (2.16) and second in aces per set (1.83).
Individually, Toledo sees Alt tied for first with Baker for total kills (263),third for kills per set (3.70) and first for points (306.5). Hatkevichis seventh in assists per set in the MAC (7.61) while Pertzborn is seventh in the conference in blocks per set (1.07).
The Rockets are ranked 35th in the NCAA for aces per set (1.83), 62nd in opponent hitting percentage (.179), 51st in total assists (831), 47th in total kills (905), 18th in total aces (132) and 66th in total blocks (155.5).
Individually, Grace Freiberger is 67th in digs per set (4.39) and 73rd in total digs (281). Alt is 91st in kills per set (3.70), 37th in total points (306.5), 79th in points per set (4.32) and 43rd in total kills (263).
Bowling Green: The Falcons enter the week with a 10-8 overall record, a 5-2 record in the MAC and a 5-2 record on the road. Bowling Green began conference action with five straight wins before falling to Eastern and Central Michgian 3-2 last week.
Bowling Green is in a four way tie for second in the MAC with Central Michigan, Toledo and Eastern Michigan.
The Falcons will travel to conference leading Buffalo on Thursday before heading to Akron to battle the Zips.
Bowling Green is led by Lauren Howey in kills (204), Points (263.5) and aces (32). Amanda Otten leads the Falcons in assists 527, Lindsey LaPinta is the leader in digs (238) and Jessica Andrews leads the squad in blocks (86).
The Falcons are top five in the MAC in points per set (5th - 16.33), hitting percentage (5th - .220), blocks per set (2nd - 2.58), aces per set (5th - 1.65) and are allowing the 2nd fewest digs from opponents (2nd - 12.55).
Alexis Mettille is second in the MAC in hitting percentage (.408) and 6th in blocks per set (1.12). Otten currently ranks fourth in assists per set (8.50). Hovey is second in aces per set (.46) and sixth in points per set (3.82). Andrews ranks third in blocks per set (1.25) and second in total blocks (86).
In the NCAA, Bowling Green ranks 42nd in blocks per set (2.58), 67th in total aces (114) and 21st in total blocks (178).
Individually, Hovey ranks 51st in aces per set (.46) and 23rd in total aces (32). Andrews ranks 64th in blocks per set (1.25) and 25th in total blocks (86). Mettille is 25th in hitting percentage (.408).
What's Next?
Akron travels to face Buffalo on October 22 while hosting Western Michigan for a pair of games on October 24 and 25.
