Courtesy of MAC Sport Information Departments
Akron 3, Bowling Green 1
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Akron volleyball defeated Bowling Green in Mid-American Conference action, 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 24-26, 28-26) on Friday night in Bowling Green, Ohio.
The Zips increase their winning streak to eight games and improve to 10-4 (3-0 MAC) while the Falcons fell to 8-7 (2-1 MAC).
Senior Elya Karsner (Frankfort, Ky.) and junior Alexis Adleta (West Chester, Ohio) led the way offensively with 16 and 15 kills, respectively. Junior setter Emily Weigand (Burton, Ohio) dished out 40 assists, while adding three kills of her own.
On the defensive side of the ball, junior Taylor Sharrits (Concord, Ohio) led with 16 digs, while Adleta and Weigand finished with 13 digs a-piece.
The first set (much like the rest of the match) was a hard-fought battle which included 14 ties and nine lead-changes. The Zips were able to gain an early 10-8 lead, thanks to a three-point run that included an error by the Falcons, as well as kills by sophomore Megan Kelly (Lakewood, Ill.), and Adleta.
The teams would trade short runs for the majority of the set, which eventually led to it being tied at 21. After an error by Akron put Bowling Green up by one, the Zips would respond well, claiming four of the last five points, capped off with a set-clinching kill by Karsner.
The second set saw another back-and-forth fight, but Akron played at a higher level than its opponent. The Zips found themselves up 11-9 early, thanks to a block by Weigand and Richardson. Bowling Green responded by winning eight of the next 12 points, and were able to retake the lead, 17-15.
After the teams traded side outs for the next four points, the Zips were able to put together a late six-point run, thanks to three kills by Karnser, two kills by Richardson and an error by Bowling Green. A block by Richardson and Adleta led Akron to take the second set, 25-20.
Bowling Green was determined not to be swept, as they were able to inch back into the match in a fourth-set battle which consisted of eight ties and five lead changes. The Zips were able to gain an early lead and hold it for a large part of the set, however after holding a 16-11 lead, the Falcons were able to claim nine of the next 13 points and tie the game at 20.
The Zips responded by rattling off three points of their own, capped off with an ace by junior TaylorKuruzovich (Port Matilda, Pa.). The Bowling Green offense were able to make a late push, earning six of the last seven points, taking the set 26-24.
The fourth set followed suit of the first three, as the point differential never grew larger than three. No team were able to put together a run larger than four, in a set that saw 12 ties. With the set tied at 26 a-piece, a kill by Adleta set the Zips up for match point. An attack error by the Falcons clinched the set, (28-26), for Akron, as well as the match.
The Zips will be back in action tomorrow night, Saturday, Oct. 5, as they head to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami (Ohio). First serve is set for 5 p.m.
Ball State 3, NIU 0
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Fueled by a huge night from freshman outside Natalie Risi, the Ball State women's volleyball team opened the home portion of its Mid-American Conference slate with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 26-24) sweep of Northern Illinois Friday night in Worthen Arena.
"We were able to get things going early on offense, which gave us a lot of confidence," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "Our service pressure towards the end of set one, and the remainder of the match, really picked up and allowed us to be a lot more effective from a blocking presence."
On a night in which the Cardinals (8-7; 2-1 MAC) hit a season-best .387 (50-9-106), it was the play of Risi which stood out the most. The freshman from Clarkston, Michigan, tied her career-high with 17 kills and hit a career-best .400 (17-3-35). She also had a strong night on defense, collecting with six digs and a .941 reception percentage.
"Natalie Risi had a different go to her tonight," Phillips said. "I thought Amber set her really well, so that got her in rhythm early. She's such a cerebral player; she scores off-speed, with power and by moving the ball around along the net. I just thought she seemed very focused and Amber got her the ball in perfect scenarios."
Following Risi on the Ball State offense were freshman opposite Allison Hamaker with nine kills and a .412 (9-2-17) attack percentage and senior middle Sydnee VanBeek with eight kills and a season-high .533 (8-0-15) rate of success.
Senior setter Amber Seaman ran a nearly perfect offense, handing out 43 assists and scoring three kills herself. She also served up three of BSU's five service aces, including back-to-back aces late in the opening set to give Ball State the early momentum.
While the Huskies (4-13; 1-2 MAC) were able to finish the night with a .245 (42-15-110) team attack percentage, aided by a strong push in the third set, Ball State's defense held a 49-to-38 edge in team digs. Freshmen defensive specialists Maggie Huber and Chloe Rickenbach tied for match-high honors with 14 digs apiece, while senior libero Kate Avila added 12 digs. Avila also finished the match with a perfect reception percentage in 12 attempts.
The Cardinals looked poised to run away with the match after winning the opening set and leading 22-11 in the second. But the Huskies were able to battle back and end the second on an 8-3 run. That gave the guests from DeKalb, Ilinois, some energy in the third. However, Ball State was able to hold strong and win the final frame in extra points.
"While I was happy with our service pressure and our offensive game, the one thing we have to work on is finishing matches," Phillips said. "We've been up 2-0 and teams have been making adjustments. We have to be able to match that intensity, which is what we talked about a lot at the end of the match. It's not going to happen by continuing to do the same thing. We have to be prepared for our opponents to do something different and act accordingly."
The Cardinals will be in for a tough test Saturday night, when Western Michigan visits Worthen Arena for a 7 p.m. first serve in a match which will be broadcast on ESPN3. The Broncos enter the contest with an 11-4 (2-1 MAC) record after sweeping Toledo Friday night.
"Tomorrow's match is going to be an absolute battle," Phillis said. "Western has a ton of arms, so we are going to have to be prepared with a good defensive plan on how we are going to defend all their hitters. They have six hitters who are consistently brining the heat, so we're going to have to really focus in on defensive and on our service pressure."
Miami 3, Buffalo 0
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University volleyball team rebounded from a tough match against Ohio with its most complete performance of the season, a 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-19) victory over Buffalo on Friday. The RedHawks improve to 7-7 overall and 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls fall to 5-10 overall and 1-2 in the MAC.
Miami made only 11 attack errors in the entire match, hitting a robust .330. The defense kept Buffalo on its heels all night long, forcing it into 17 attack errors against only 28 kills for a .110 attack percentage.
Junior middle hitter Avarie Powell continued her breakout season with a team-high 12 kills against the Bulls. She made only two errors in 17 attempts for a spectacular attack percentage of .588.
Kills from junior right side hitter Sarah Wojick and senior middle hitter Margaret Payne off assists from junior setter Morgan Seaman, followed by a service ace from senior outside hitter Taylor Daignaultput Miami on top, 3-0, to begin set one. The Bulls tied the score at four, but a 10-3 run featuring two kills for Powell off assists from sophomore setter Louise Comerford put the RedHawks in control at 14-7. Powell recorded another kill, while a kill and a service ace from Daignault made it 19-9. A block by Payne gave MU its largest lead at 21-10. That was more than enough as Comerford dumped the ball down to finish off a 25-16 win.
A Seaman service ace got set two off to a strong start. Kills from sophomore outside hitter Gaby Harper and senior right side hitter Haley Stewart helped the Red and White build an 8-4 lead. Leading 13-11, a 6-1 run featuring a kill from Payne and an ace by Wojick made it 19-13. Powell took over, scoring three of the next four points, while a pair of kills from Payne completed the 25-16 victory.
Tied at four in set three, two kills from sophomore right side hitter Sophie Riemersma along with kills from Harper and Powell made it 8-4. Buffalo followed with its only big run of the night, scoring the next eight points to take its first lead at 12-8. Riemersma had three more kills as Miami answered with a 7-1 run to take the advantage back at 15-13. It continued to go back and forth as Buffalo regained a 17-16 lead. A kill from freshman outside hitter Lindsay Taylor helped tie the match at 19. At that point, Taylor and Powell had two kills apiece and teamed up for a block as Miami scored the final six in a row to take a 25-19 win and the match in straight sets.
Payne finished with seven kills for Miami, while Wojick put down six. Harper and Riemersma each had five for the RedHawks. Comerford led Miami with 19 assists, while Harper and junior libero Abigail Huser each recorded 13 digs.
The RedHawks return to action on Saturday when they host Akron at 5 p.m. That match will air live on ESPN3.
Western Michigan 3, Toledo 0
Box Score
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Western Michigan volleyball team earned its second Mid-American Conference victory of the season with a hard-fought sweep over Toledo (25-19, 26-24, 25-21) on Friday night inside Savage Arena.
As a team the Broncos registered a staggering .317 attack percentage with two earning double-digit kills. WMU held Toledo to just a .181 attack percentage on the night and recorded eight blocks to Toledo's four.
Junior Rachel Bontrager led the way with 14 kills to go along with eight digs and a .414 attack percentage. Bontrager also had four assists and one service ace against the
Rockets. Behind Bontrager was sophomore Meredith Phillipswith 10 kills on a .381 attack percentage. For Phillips it's the fifth match this season she has earned double digit kills.
The setting duo of freshman Rose Duffy and junior Mary Marzo each nearly registered a double-double with Marzo recording a team-high 24 assists with nine digs. Duffy posted 13 assists against the Rockets with nine digs.
Senior Kathleen Reilly led the Broncos with 16 digs while also having four assists and two service aces. From behind the line, WMU had five service aces. Redshirt sophomore
Janell Williams was a force at the net with a game-high four blocks to go along with six kills and a .231 attack percentage.
With the victory, WMU improves its overall record to 11-4 and 2-1 in MAC play. The Broncos are on the road on Saturday, Oct. 5 for a match-up at preseason MAC West favorite Ball State. WMU seeks its first regular season win over the Cardinals since 2015.
Set One (WMU – 25, Toledo – 19)
To begin the match the Broncos hit a stellar .429 en route to a 25-19 set one victory, marking the eighth match this season the Brown & Gold have won the first set.
It was a back and forth affair throughout the match as neither team led by more than one before a 4-0 run by the Broncos highlighted by a block from Bontrager gave WMU an early 8-6 lead. Midway through the set, Toledo countered with a 3-0 run of its own to gain a 13-11 advantage.
Junior Rachel Bontrager rattled off three straight points to regain the lead for the Broncos near the end of the set and have a 17-16 lead. Down the stretch, WMU dominated, scoring eight of the final 10 points to win the first set.
Set Two (WMU – 26, Toledo – 24)
Once again it was a tightly contested second set as both teams traded points until WMU pulled away late for the 26-24 set victory.
Midway through the second set WMU embarked on a 6-0 run to gain a one-point advantage after a block by the Broncos followed by a kill from Bontrager. After trading points, Toledo struck back with a 4-0 run to grab an 18-15 lead late.
The two teams were tied up at 24-24 near the end of the second set before back-to-back kills from freshman Maggie Kingand Rose Duffy guided WMU to a 26-24 set victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.
Set Three (WMU – 25, Toledo – 19)
In the third set, Toledo raced out to an early lead thanks in large part to a pair of 4-0 runs to hold a 11-10 advantage. The Rockets struck again with a 4-0 run late in the third to take a 19-16 lead before the Broncos rallied.
Trailing by two, King rattled off back-to-back kills to tie the set at 19-19 before the Broncos took the lead three point later off of a Toledo attack error. Down the stretch, WMU pulled away, ending the third set on a 6-1 run to secure the sweep of Toledo and earn its second MAC victory of the season.
