The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Buffalo
Akron Travels to Buffalo, Hosts Western Michigan
October 21 | Women's Volleyball
How To Follow
Tuesday: Stats | Video (ESPN+)
Thursday:Â Stats | Video (ESPN+)
Friday:Â Stats | Video (ESPN+)
Inside The Series
Buffalo
All-Time: 31-26
First Met: Nov. 7, 1992 (W, 3-1)
Last Met: Oct. 8, 2024 (L, 1-3)
Norton vs Buffalo: 0-4
The Zips hold a 31-26 record over Buffalo in the all-time series. Akron claimed the first 16 meeting against the Bulls while Buffalo has claimed 10 of the last 11 meetings. Buffalo has swept the Zips in four of the last five meetings while the Blue and Gold last defeated Buffalo 3-1 on October 13, 2021 at Buffalo.
Western Michigan
All-Time: 13-31
First Met: Sep. 18, 1992 (L, 2-3)
Last Met: Oct. 28, 2023 (L, 1-3)
Norton vs Western Mich: 1-3
Akron is 13-31 all-time against Western Michigan. The Zips fell in the first two meeting before winning the next three. Between 1998 and 2003 the Zips went 6-3 against the Broncos before going 3-21 from 2004 through 2023.Â
Stat Leaders
Akron: Kills: Lauren Baker (272) | Assists: Eliska Vytiskova (590) | Points: Lauren Baker (316) | Aces: Two Tied (26) | Digs: Vanessa Del Real (305) | Blocks: Karleighana Jones (81)
Buffalo: Kills: Manoela Forlin (236) | Assists: Macy Hatkevich (592) | Points: Katrin Trebichavska (277.5) |Â Aces: Katrin Trebichavska (34) | Digs: Maria Futey (319) | Blocks:Abby Leigh (67)
Western Michigan: Kills: Keona Salesman (210) | Assists: Logan Case (760) | Points: Keona Salesman (225) | Aces: Reeghan Boyer (21) | Digs: Andelyn Simkins (315) | Blocks: Mary Clare Brusek (86)
Zips At AÂ Glance
Akron enters with an 8-13 overall record, a 4-5 record in conference, a 3-4 record on the road and a 3-7 record at home.
The Zips recently went 0-2 the past week with losses to Toledo (1-3) and Bowling Green (0-3).
Against Toledo, The Zips attack was paced by Emanouela Christodoulou, who finished with 21 kills on the day while accumulating a hitting percentage of .341, and by Delaney Gash, who had a career-high 11 while hitting .333. Defensively, Akron had three players reach double figures in digs, including 19 from Vanessa Del Real, 15 from Eliska Vytiskova, and 11 more from Lauren Baker. From the front row, Karleighana Jones contributed six blocks. Vytiskova recorded her team-leading 13th double-double after recording 41 assists to go with her 15 digs.
Against Bowling Green, The Zips were led by a double-double from Delaney Gash, who tied her career-high in kills with 11 and recorded 13 digs on the day. Karleighana Jones also added 10 kills to help the offense. On the defensive end, Reilly Chausse chipped in 12 digs to go along with 37 assists and four blocks from Eliska Vytiskova.Â
Akron will face Buffalo for the second time this season after falling 3-1 at James A. Rhodes Arena on October 8. The first three sets were won by went down to the wire, with the Bulls winning the first set 25-23 and the third set 25-22 while Akron took the second set 25-23.
Christodoulou and Baker both recorded 17 kills against the Bulls while Vytiskova recorded a double-double with 45 assists and 10 digs.
So far this season Lauren Baker leads the Zips in kills (272) and points (316.5). Eliska Vytiskova is the leader in assists (590) while Vanesa Del Real is the leader in digs (305) and is tied for the lead in aces with Vytiskova (26). Karleighana Jones is the leader in blocks (81).
Akron is in the top-5 in the MAC for points per set (4th - 16.53), total points (2nd - 1405) hitting percentage (5th - .222, total assists (1st - 1047), assists per set (3rd - 12.32), total kills (2nd - 1096), kills per set (5th - 12.89), fewest blocks allowed (4th - 172.5), fewest aces allowed per set (4th - 1.34) aces per set (4th - 1.67) and total aces (1st - 142).Â
Individually, Akron sees Karleighana Jones ranked first in hitting percentage (.418), sixth in total blocks (81) and eighth in blocks per set (1.00).Lauren Baker ranks third in total kills (272), fifth in kills per set (3.36), third in total points (316.5) and fifth in points per set (3.91). Emaniuela Christodoulou is fourth in total kills (269), ninth in kills per set (3.16), fifth in total points (290) and 10th in points per set (3.41). Vanesa Del Real is seventh in total aces (26), ninth in digs per set (3.60) and eighth in total digs (306). Eliska Vytiskova is seventh in total assists (592) and ninth in assists per set (6.96).
SCOUTING REPORT
Buffalo: The Bulls enter the week with an 11-11 overall record, a 7-2 record in the MAC and a 7-1 record at Alumni Arena this season.Â
Buffalo went 1-1 the past week with a 3-0 loss to Bowling Green and a 3-0 win against Toledo. Before the loss to the Falcons, Buffalo was on a six-game winning streak.
Buffalo took the first meeting between the two sides 3-1 earlier this season.
In its 3-0 win against Toledo, Buffalo recorded 11 aces with a team high four coming from Maria Futey.
After Akron, Buffalo travels to Central Michigan for a pair of games from October 25-26.
Buffalo is led by Manoela Forlin in kills (236), Macy Hatkevichin assists (592), Katrin Trebichavsk in points (277.5) and aces (34), Futey in digs (319) and Abby Leighin blocks (67).Â
In conference games, Buffalo ranks first in the MAC for points per set (18.26), fifth in hitting percentage (.237), first in assists per set (13.19), first in kills per set (14.13), first in aces per set (2.03) and first in digs per set (15.97).
Leigh is third in the MAC for hitting percentage (.383), Trebichavsk is second in kills per set (3.83) while Forlin is seventh (3.19). Mandy Leigh is third in the conference for assists per set (8.99) while Trebichavsk anks first in aces per set (.57) and points per set (4.63).
In the NCAA, Buffalo is ranked 42nd in aces per set (1.78), 55th in total assists (916), 71st in total digs (1,156), 55th in total kills (992) and 27th in total aces (141).
Trebichavskranks 15th in the NCAA for aces per set (.57),70th in kills per set (3.82), 50th in points per set (4.63) and 29th in total aces (34) while Abby Leigh is 35th in hitting percentage (.383) Mandy Leigh is 61st in total assists (683) and Futey is 65th in total digs (319).
Western Michigan: The preseason favorite Broncos enter the week with an 8-11 overall record, a 4-4 record in the MAC and a 3-6 record on the road.Â
Over it last five matches, the Broncos have gone 3-2 with 3-0 wins over Ohio, Kent State and Eastern Michigan while falling 0-3 to Central Michigan and Bowling Green.
Western Michigan had two players record 11 kills in its recent 3-0 win against Eastern Michigan with Anna Calcagno and Madison Merz tied. Logan Case recorded 40 assists while Julia Marr and Merz both had a team leading four aces.Â
On the season Keona Salesman leads the Broncos in kills (210) and points (225). Logan Case is the leader in assists (760) while Reeghan Boyer leads the way in aces (21), Andelyn Simkins is the leader in digs (315) and Mary Clare Brusek has the most blocks (86).
The Broncos rank first in the MAC for assists per set (12.84), second in kills per set (13.55) and first in digs per set (16.78).
In the NCAA, the Broncos are 24th in assists per set (12.84), 28th in digs per set (16.64) and 35th in kills per set (13.55).
Logan Case is 2nd in assists per set (11.34), Simkins is 36th in digs per set (4.70) and 75th in total digs (315) and Case is 19th in total assists (760).
What's Next?
Akron makes the short trip to Kent, Ohio., to battle rival Kent State for a pair of conference matches on November 1 and 2.
