Thursday, September 26
Buffalo, NY
6 pm
4-9
2
vs
3
Akron
8-2
1
2
3
4
5
F
Akron
25
25
27
24
15
3
Buffalo
19
15
29
26
10
2
Five-Set Rally Falls Short Against Akron
9/26/2019 9:38:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo volleyball team played its third straight five-set match on Thursday night, falling 3-2 to Akron in the Mid-American Conference opener for both schools. The Bulls forced a fifth after losing the first two sets, but couldn't complete the comeback.
The Zips took the contest 25-19, 25-15, 27-29, 24-26, 15-10 as Akron outhit the Bulls .234 to .163. The story of the match was the service line where Akron had 10 aces, while the Bulls had just two, coupled with 15 service errors.
Akron took the first two sets and it looked like the Bulls might in for a short night, but UB responded in a big way beginning in the third. Buffalo trailed 14-11 when a quick 4-1 run tied it up following a block from Rachel Sanks and Lexi Nordmann. The Bulls would end up going ahead 24-21, but Akron fought off three set points to tie it up. Akron had a pair of match points, but the Bulls kept those alive and went on to win the set, 29-27.
The fourth set was also close as Akron led 18-17 late when the Bulls took the lead on a service ace from Paige Beck. Buffalo went ahead 23-20 following a kill from Sanks, but Akron scored the next four points to again have match point. The Bulls fought that off on a kill from Sanks and then scored the next two, including an ace from Sanks, to clinch the set and force a fifth.
The set was tight early on until Akron opened up a 10-7 lead. Buffalo cut it to 11-9 when the point that would all but decide the match took place. A Sanks serve began a volley of nearly a minute and 40 seconds, with both teams making spectacular saves to keep it alive. However, the point would ultimately end on a Buffalo attack error, putting Akron ahead, 12-9. UB would score the next point to pull back within two, but it would be their last as Akron scored the final three points to clinch the set and the match.
Redshirt sophomore Monika Simkova finished with a match high 18 kills, while freshman Abby Leigh recorded a career best 16 kills and Sanks added 15. Nordmann chipped in eight kills.
Senior setter Scout McLerran had 48 assists, to go along with three kills and 20 digs.
Defensively, Beck led Buffalo with 24 digs, joining McLerran as one of two players with 20 or more digs. Sanks added 10 and Simkova had eight. The Bulls got a boost off the bench in the later sets from senior Hannah Watson, who had six digs, and freshman defensive specialist Melissa Masotto. Freshman Jenna Sonnenberg added five digs.
The Bulls finished with 10.0 blocks, led by eight block assists from Nordmann. Simkova, Leigh, and Sanks each added three.
Buffalo will conclude its five-match homestand on Saturday night when the Bulls host Toledo at 6:00 pm.
The Zips took the contest 25-19, 25-15, 27-29, 24-26, 15-10 as Akron outhit the Bulls .234 to .163. The story of the match was the service line where Akron had 10 aces, while the Bulls had just two, coupled with 15 service errors.
Akron took the first two sets and it looked like the Bulls might in for a short night, but UB responded in a big way beginning in the third. Buffalo trailed 14-11 when a quick 4-1 run tied it up following a block from Rachel Sanks and Lexi Nordmann. The Bulls would end up going ahead 24-21, but Akron fought off three set points to tie it up. Akron had a pair of match points, but the Bulls kept those alive and went on to win the set, 29-27.
The fourth set was also close as Akron led 18-17 late when the Bulls took the lead on a service ace from Paige Beck. Buffalo went ahead 23-20 following a kill from Sanks, but Akron scored the next four points to again have match point. The Bulls fought that off on a kill from Sanks and then scored the next two, including an ace from Sanks, to clinch the set and force a fifth.
The set was tight early on until Akron opened up a 10-7 lead. Buffalo cut it to 11-9 when the point that would all but decide the match took place. A Sanks serve began a volley of nearly a minute and 40 seconds, with both teams making spectacular saves to keep it alive. However, the point would ultimately end on a Buffalo attack error, putting Akron ahead, 12-9. UB would score the next point to pull back within two, but it would be their last as Akron scored the final three points to clinch the set and the match.
Redshirt sophomore Monika Simkova finished with a match high 18 kills, while freshman Abby Leigh recorded a career best 16 kills and Sanks added 15. Nordmann chipped in eight kills.
Senior setter Scout McLerran had 48 assists, to go along with three kills and 20 digs.
Defensively, Beck led Buffalo with 24 digs, joining McLerran as one of two players with 20 or more digs. Sanks added 10 and Simkova had eight. The Bulls got a boost off the bench in the later sets from senior Hannah Watson, who had six digs, and freshman defensive specialist Melissa Masotto. Freshman Jenna Sonnenberg added five digs.
The Bulls finished with 10.0 blocks, led by eight block assists from Nordmann. Simkova, Leigh, and Sanks each added three.
Buffalo will conclude its five-match homestand on Saturday night when the Bulls host Toledo at 6:00 pm.
Team Stats
UA
UB
Kills
60
62
Errors
20
28
Attempts
171
208
Hitting %
.234
.163
Points
82
74
Assists
55
62
Aces
10
2
Blocks
12
10
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
18
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
15
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
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