The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Kent State
Zips Battle Rival Kent State on the Road This Weekend
October 31 | Women's Volleyball
AKRON, Ohio - After going 0-3 last week, the Zips begin the month of November with a pair of Mid-American Conference matches at rival Kent State from November 1-2.
How To Follow
Friday: Stats | Video (ESPN+)
Saturday:Â Stats | Video (ESPN+)
Inside The Series
All-Time: 40-52
First Met: 1974 (W, 2-0)
Last Met: Sep. 29, 2023 (W, 3-0)
Norton vs Kent State: 3-1
Akron is 40-52 all-time against Kent State. The Zips and Golden Flashes first met in 1974 with the Zips winning 2-0. Akron would go on to win the next three meetings before Kent State took the next 13 meetings. From September 13, 1994, through November 12, 2012, the Zips went 23-14 against Kent State. Akron is currently on a three-game winning streak against the Golden Flashes with all three wins being 3-0 decisions.
Stat Leaders
Akron: Kills: Lauren Baker (331) | Assists: Eliska Vytiskova (749) | Points: Lauren Baker (377.5) | Aces: Eliska Vytiskova (35) | Digs: Vanessa Del Real (346) | Blocks: Karleighana Jones (92)
Kent State:Â Kills: Mackenzie McGuire (168) | Assists: Kendall White (469) | Points: Mackenzie McGuire (188.5) | Aces: Greta Bolognini (18) | Digs: Greta Bolognini (236) | Blocks: Alexandria Connatser (50)
Zips At A Glance
Akron enters with an 8-16 overall record, a 4-8 record in conference and a 3-5 record on the road.
The Zips are coming off a 3-2 loss to Buffalo on the road on Tuesday, October 22 along with a pair of losses to Western Michigan on Thursday and Friday.
Against the Bulls, 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-high 14 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.
On Friday, Eliska Vytiskova entered the Zips' record book for career assists after recording 53 in a 3-2 loss to the Broncos.
So far this season Lauren Baker leads the Zips in kills (331) and points (377.5). Eliska Vytiskova is the leader in assists (749) and aces (35) while Vanesa Del Real is the leader in digs (346). Karleighana Jones is the leader in blocks (92).
Akron is in the top-5 in the MAC for points per set (4th - 16.60), total points (1st - 1643.5), total assists (1st - 1239), assists per set (2nd - 12.52), total kills (1st - 1293), kills per set (13.06), fewest aces allowed per set (3rd - 1.30) aces per set (5th - 1.65) and total aces (t1st - 163).Â
Individually, Akron sees Karleighana Jones ranked second in hitting percentage (.405), fourth in total blocks (92) and ninth in blocks per set (.97). Lauren Baker ranks second in total kills (331), fifth in kills per set (3.48), second in total points (377.5) and fifth in points per set (4.12).Â
Emanuela Christodoulou is eighth in total points (290), 10th in points per set (3.46), seventh in total kills (269) and ninth in kills per set (3.16). Vanesa Del Real is eighth in total digs (347) and ninth in digs per set (3.51). Eliska Vytiskova is fourth in total assists (751), eighth in assists per set (7.59), fourth in total aces (35) and sixth in aces per set (.35).
As a team, the Zips rank 90th in the NCAA in aces per set (1.65), 49th in assists per set (12.52), 91st in kills per set (13.06), 1st in total assists (1,239), 28th in total digs (1,428), 1st in total kills (1,293), 20th in total aces (163), and 79th in total blocks (187.5).
Individually, Lauren Baker ranks 36th in points (377.5) and 39th in total kills (331). Vanesa Del Real ranks 82nd in total digs (347) while Karleighana Jones ranks 79th in blocks (92). Eliska Vytiskova ranks 47th in total aces (31) and 66th in total assists (751).
SCOUTING REPORT
Kent State:Â The Golden Flashes enter the series with a 1-20 overall record, a 0-11 record in the MAC and a 0-5 record at the M.A.C Center.
Kent State is currently on a 17-game losing streak with the lone win of the season coming against New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in the Seton Hall Classic on September 6. The Golden Flashes defeated the Highlanders 3-0 in South Orange, N.J.
Kent State has been swept 14 times this season including twice against Bowling Green in its most recent MAC series.
Mackenzie McGuire leads the Golden Flashes in kills(168) and points (188.5). Kendall White is the leader in assists (469) while Greta Bolognini leads the way in aces (18) and digs (236). Alexandria Connatser is the leader in blocks (50).
Kent State is fifth in the MAC for digs per set (14.55) and first in fewest opponent blocks per set (1.82).
White is ninth in the MAC for assists per set (7.24) while Connatser is eighth in the MAC for blocks per set (0.98).
What's Next?
The Zips stay on the road as they battle Eastern Michigan on November 8-9.
