Zips Journey to Buffalo For Midweek #MACtion

AKRON, Ohio – The Akron volleyball group travels to Buffalo, N.Y., to battle the Bulls on Tuesday, October 28, for a midweek convention match at 6 p.m.

How To Follow The Action

Tuesday: Stats | Video

Stat Leaders

Akron: Kills: Delaney Gash (324) | Assists: Martina Villani (864) | Points: Delaney Gash (351) | Aces: Vanessa Del Real (37)  | Digs: Vanessa Del Real (332) | Blocks: Chidera Ozoh (97)

Buffalo: Kills: Emerson Matthews (244) | Assists: Maddie Mitchell (607) | Points: Emerson Matthews (286.5) | Aces: Eve Adams (24)  | Digs: Keira Kleidon (266) | Blocks: Tehya Shaw (43)

A Look At The Series

Buffalo: Akron Leads 31-28 | Norton vs Buffalo: 0-7

First Played: Nov. 7, 1992 (Akron 3, Buffalo 1)

Last Played: Oct. 7, 2025 (Akron, 2, Buffalo 3)

Akron and Buffalo will battle for the sixtieth time within the all-time collection. Akron leads the collection 31-28 whereas the Bulls have taken eight straight from the Zips, with the final Akron victory approaching Oct. 13, 2021. Akron fell to Buffalo earlier this season, with the Bulls coming away with a 3-2 victory at James A. Rhodes Arena. The Zips started the collection with 16 consecutive victories over the Bulls earlier than UB received the subsequent 4.

Last Time Out

AKRON, Ohio (10/25) – The Akron volleyball group took down the Northern Illinois Huskies in 4 units (28-26, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17) Saturday at James A Rhodes Arena.

The Zips rattled off 9 aces, led by three from Lyndi Wolf, whereas Vanessa Del Real, Martina Villani and Reilly Chausse every had two. 

The Blue and Gold’s offense, which featured three Zips in double-figure kills, was paced by Delaney Gash, who completed with 15 kills on the day. Gabby Brissett added 14 with a hitting share of .462, whereas Lyndi Wolf chipped in with 13 to go along with a .522 hitting share. Defensively, Akron had two gamers attain double figures in digs as Vanessa Del Real had 21 and Jaryn Morgan had 10. From the entrance row, Chidera Ozoh contributed eight blocks and Wolf added six rejections. Villani added 46 assists to bolster the Zips’ offense.

AKRON, Ohio (10/24) – Gabby Brissett notched 15 kills with a .519 assault share whereas Delaney Gash notched 21 kills to assist propel the Akron volleyball group to a five-set win (25-20, 19-25, 25-18, 14-25, 15-9) over the Northern Illinois Huskies Friday at James A Rhodes Arena.

The Zips assault was paced by Gash, who completed with 21 kills, her sixth 20+ kill efficiency of the season, and by Brissett, who tied her career-high of 15 kills whereas hitting .519. Akron obtained 26 digs from Vanessa Del Real, which was three off of her career-high, together with 5 blocks from Chidera Ozoh to guide them defensively. Martina Villani equipped 51 assists towards the Huskies, her sixth 50+ help efficiency of the season. Jaryn Morgan notched a career-high three aces within the win as properly.

Zips At A Glance

The Zips head to Buffalo with an 11-11 general document and a 4-7 document within the MAC.

Akron just lately swept Northern Illinois at James A. Rhodes Arena over the weekend, defeating the Huskies 3-1 and 3-2.

Delaney Gash led the offense with 36 kills towards the Huskies, whereas Gabby Brissett added 29 and Lyndi Wolf notched 21. Brissett additionally added a .491 hitting share and 7 blocks, whereas Wolf recorded a .371 hitting share, 4 aces and 7 blocks. Martina Villani recorded 97 assists (10.78 per set) whereas including three aces and 5 blocks towards the Huskies. Vanessa Del Real recorded 47 digs (5.22 per set) and two aces, whereas Chidera Ozoh led the Zips in blocks with 13.

So far this season, Gash leads the Zips in kills (324) and factors (351). Villani is the chief in assists (864) whereas Del Real leads the best way in digs (332) and aces (37). Ozoh is the chief for whole blocks (97).

After Buffalo, the Zips return to James A. Rhodes Arena to host Eastern Michigan on October 31 and November 1.

Scouting Report

Buffalo: The Bulls enter the week with a 7-13 general document and a 4-7 document within the MAC. This would be the second assembly between the 2 faculties, with the Bulls taking the primary assembly 3-2 on the JAR.

Buffalo just lately cut up a two-game collection with Eastern Michigan final week, taking a 3-0 victory in recreation one earlier than falling 3-2 to conclude motion.

After internet hosting Akron, Buffalo will depart for DeKalb, Ill., to battle the Huskies for a pair of convention matches on October 31 and November 1.

So far this season, Emerson Matthews and Manoela Forlina lead the Bulls in kills (244) whereas Matthews leads the Bulls in factors (286.5). Maddie Mitchell is the chief in assists (607) whereas Eve Adams leads the squad in aces (24). Keira Kleidon is the chief in digs (266) and Tehya Shaw is the chief in blocks (43).

Buffalo ranks within the top-five within the MAC in whole digs (fifth – 1055), digs per set (fifth – 14.26), fewest opp assists (2nd – 916), fewest opp assists per set (4th – 12.38), fewest opp. blocks (4th – 2.09) and fewest opp blocks per set (4th – 2.09). 

Mitchell ranks seventh for whole assists (607) and sixth in assists per set (8.55). Forlin and Matthews are tied for sixth for whole kills (244) and kills per set (3.44). Kleidon is 4th in digs per set (3.91) and tenth for whole digs (266). Matthews is sixth in whole factors (286.5) and factors per set (3.92), whereas Forlin is seventh in whole factors (273) and factors per set (3.85).

Defensive Player of the Week (10/27/25)

Leading the Zips’ defensive efforts that led to a 2-0 week towards Northern Illinois, Vanessa Del Real was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the convention workplace introduced Monday, October 27.

Del Real notched 47 digs (5.22 per set) because the Blue and Gold claimed a pair of wins over NIU. She began the week with 26 digs, one kill and 4 assists on Friday, whereas including 21 digs, 5 assists and two aces on Saturday.

Del Real presently ranks 1st within the MAC for whole aces (37), 2nd in aces per set (.44), third in digs per set (3.05) and fifth in whole digs (322).

Milestones To Watch For

• Vanessa Del Real is 309 digs from tying Jennifer Borton (1992-95) for tenth in all-time digs (1,469).
• Del Real is 12 aces away from tying Ashley Lewis (1997-2000) for tenth in all-time aces (136).
• Del Real is 143 assists away from 500 as a Zip.
• Martina Villani is 731 assists from tying Carol Claridge (1987-88) for tenth in all-time assists (1,880).
• Villani is 237 digs away from 500 as a Zips.
• Maureen Mathews is 316 kills away from 1,000 profession kills.
• Mathews is 249 factors away from 1,000 in her profession.
• Reilly Chausse is 128 digs away from 500 as a Zip.
• Delaney Gash is 28 kills away from 500 as a Zip.
• Gash is 231 digs away from 500 as a Zip.
• Chidera Ozoh is 3 blocks away from 100 as a Zip.
• Gabby Brissett is 154 kills away from 500 as a Zip.
• Brissett is 92 kills away from 750 profession kills.
• Brissett is 12.5 factors away from 750 profession factors.
• Jordyn Aeschliman is 9 kills away from 100 as a Zips.

Career-Highs (10/24-10/25)

• Gabby Brissett tied her career-high in kills (15, vs NIU 10/24/25)
• Delaney Gash tied her career-high for blocks (4, vs NIU 10/25/25)
• Jaryn Morgan set a career-high for aces (3, vs NIU 10/24/25)
• Lyndi Wolf tied her career-high for digs (4, vs NIU 10/24/25)

Leaders In The MAC

Akron ranks within the top-five within the MAC in whole factors (third – 1505), factors per set (2nd – 16.91), hitting % (4th – .212), fewest opp assists (fifth – 1020), whole assists (third – 1095), assists per set (2nd – 12.30), whole kills (2nd – 1178), kills per set (2nd – 13.24), aces per set (fifth – 1.61), fewest opp digs (fifth – 1216) and fewest opp. digs per set (third – 13.66).

Individually, the Zips see Lyndi Wolf rank sixth in hitting share (.304). Delaney Gash ranks 2nd in whole kills (324), third in kills per set (3.81), third in whole factors (351) and 4th in factors per set (4.13). Martina Villani ranks 2nd in whole assists (864) and assists per set (9.71). Vanessa Del Real ranks 1st in whole aces (37), 2nd in aces per set (.44), sixth in whole digs (332) and third in digs per set (3.95). Chidera Ozoh ranks fifth in whole blocks (97) and blocks per set (1.09).

Among The Best In The NCAA

The Zips rank seventieth within the NCAA in assists per set (12.30), eighty fifth in kills per set (13.24), thirteenth in whole assists (1,095), twelfth in whole kills (1,178) and 54th in whole aces (143).

Individually, Vanessa Del Real ranks forty third in aces per set (.44), twenty seventh in whole aces (37) and ninetieth in whole digs (332). Martina Villani ranks 56th in assists per set (9.71) and seventh in whole assists (864). Delaney Gash ranks 97th in kills per set (3.81), forty ninth in whole factors (351) and thirty fourth in whole kills (324). Chidera Ozoh ranks forty first in whole blocks (97).

First Set Success

Akron has taken the primary set in 11 matches this season (vs Green Bay, at Cleveland State, vs ETSU, vs Cleveland State, vs Miami (OH), at Ohio, vs Buffalo, at WMU x2, vs NIU x2), and has gone 8-3. The Zips have fallen within the first set 11 instances and have gone 3-8 in these matches.

Five-Set Thrillers

The Zips have performed in seven 5-set matches in 2025 and are 4-3 in these contests. Akron has defeated Green Bay, American,Western Michigan and Northern Illinois whereas falling to NC State, Miami (OH) and Buffalo.

What’s Next?

Akron returns to James A. Rhodes Arena to host Eastern Michigan on October 31 (6 p.m.) and November 1 (4 p.m.).