RALEIGH, N.C. – After falling behind two sets to zero in the season opener, the Green Bay volleyball team nearly completed a reverse sweep against the Akron Zips before ultimately falling in five sets.
GB squared off against Akron in Raleigh, N.C., at the Summit Hospitality Tournament hosted by NC State.
The Phoenix attack was led by Katie Schulz, who finished with 14 kills on the day, and by Diane Pichelman, who had 10. Defensively, GB had two players reach double figures in digs as Emma Johnson had 17 and Kennedy Schmitz had 10. Johnson also finished the match with 39 assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | The Phoenix found themselves in an early deficit, dropping a tough first set 25-18. Green Bay trailed by as many as nine points as Akron never trailed. The Zips took control of the set with a 9-2 run in the middle of the set that gave them a 19-10 lead before cruising to the win. Akron hit .313 in the first set.
SET 2 | The Green & White hung around in the second set but ultimately fell down 2-0 after dropping the frame 25-23. Green Bay led 14-9 before Akron rattled off six straight points that gave them a 15-14 lead that they would never relinquish.
SET 3 | Green Bay fought back in set three, this time capitalizing on an early lead and taking the third set 25-20. This came in a set that featured 10 ties and six lead changes. The Green Bay offense also got a boost from three aces in the stanza.
SET 4 | That momentum carried over into the fourth set, as the Green Bay offense finished with 14 kills on a .313 attacking percentage. After the lead changed hands three times, the Phoenix took control for good at 13-12 and rode that advantage to victory.
SET 5 | The Phoenix was unable to bring that offense into the fifth set, finishing with a .048 attack percentage in the frame. Akron, on the other hand, hit .280 and took the fifth set 15-9.
GAME NOTES
» Schulz had a match-high three aces in the loss.
» Akron outhit Green Bay .230 to .145 and finished with 61 kills to GB's 53.
» Green Bay finished with nine aces to Akron's four.
» The Zips' Maureen Matthews finished with a match-high 25 kills to lead the offense.
UP NEXT
Green Bay will take on the tournament hosts, NC State, tomorrow at 5 p.m. Phoenix fans can watch the match on ACCNX.
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