The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
8-14,4-6MAC
Buffalo
12-11,8-2MAC
Zips Drop 5-Set Match to Buffalo
October 22 | Women's Volleyball
BUFFALO, NY -Â The Akron volleyball team fell in five sets (25-23, 27-29, 20-25, 25-23, 13-15) to the Buffalo Bulls Tuesday on the road at Alumni Arena.
The Zips were led by a double-double from Lauren Baker, who registered 22 kills and 11 digs on the day. Baker also recorded her 500th kill as a Zip in the five-set match against Buffalo. Delaney Gash added a career-high14 kills to help the offense. Ellen Kinnaird gave the Zips 10 kills and three blocks against the Bulls. Karleighana Jones added seven kills and seven blocks while Eliska Vytiskova pitched in five kills in the contest to go along with her season-high 52 assists, five aces and nine digs. On the defensive end, Reilly Chausse and Sophie Twigg added 11 digs each while Vanessa Del Real recorded 10.
The loss dropped Akron's record to 8-14 overall and 4-6 in MAC play.
Game Notes
» Akron had three players in double figures in kills.
» Akron had four players in double figures in digs.
» Vytiskova had a match-high five aces in the loss.
» Baker registered a double-double with 22 kills and 11 digs.
» Baker recorded her seventh double-double of the season.
» Baker recorded her 500th career kill as a Zip against Buffalo.
» Delaney Gash set a career-high in kills with 14 against the Bulls.
» Akron never trailed on the way to winning the first set 25-23.
» Baker had a team-high 22 kills for Akron.
» Akron got a team-high 11 digs from Chausse, Twigg and Baker.
» Akron attackers were helped by a match-high 52 assists from Vytiskova.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Zips grabbed control on the first point and never looked back to secure the first set 25-23. Akron led by six points at 9-3 before closing out the set, collecting 18 kills along the way. Akron also supplemented their offense with three aces in the opening set.
SET 2 | Akron then dropped set two 29-27, tying the match at a set apiece. The Zips dropped a tight second set, losing in a stanza that was tied 10 times and had one lead change.
SET 3 | A third-set loss put Akron down two sets to one. The Zips came up short by the score of 25-20. Buffalo grabbed the advantage for good at 7-6 in a set that was tied up four times before the Bulls took over the lead.
SET 4 | Akron broke their two set losing streak and forced a fifth set with a 25-23 victory in set number four. The Zips persevered in a back-and-forth set to win in a stanza that featured three lead changes and was tied eight times. Neither team was able to grab a lead larger than three points along the way. Akron got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked five Buffalo attacks in the stanza.
SET 5 | After dropping sets two and three, Akron won set four, knotting up the game at two sets apiece to force a fifth set, but couldn't complete the comeback, losing the set 15-13 and the match 3-2. The Zips lost set five despite a strong performance on the attacking end. Akron put together a .375 attack percentage with seven kills in the set loss. Akron also supplemented their offense with three aces in the final set.
What's Next?
Akron returns to James A. Rhodes Arena to host Western Michigan from October 24-25 with both matches starting at 6 p.m.
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