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Score: Ohio 3, Akron 0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-19)
Location: Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)
Record: Ohio 23-6 (13-3 MAC), Akron 8-21 (2-14 MAC)
Short Story: The Ohio volleyball team (23-6, 13-3 MAC) sent its 2015 senior class in style by sweeping Mid-American Conference East Division rival Akron (8-21, 2-14 MAC), 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-19) on Senior Night on Saturday (Nov. 14) at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio. The Bobcats clinched a share of the MAC East Division title and locked down the No. 2 seed and a double-bye in the 2015 MAC Championship.

THE BASICS
• The Bobcats hit .227 (44 kills-15 errors-128 total attacks) while holding the Zips to a .103 clip (31 kills-18 errors-126 total attacks).
• Junior outside hitter/libero Mallory Salis (Oak Lawn, Ill.) racked up a match-high 15 kills and achieved a double-double with 12 digs for the Bobcats. She also tallied an assisted block.
• Sophomore outside hitter Jaime Kosiorek (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) chipped in eight kills, three assisted blocks, two service aces and six digs for Ohio.
• Senior middle blocker Karin Bull (Bloomington, Minn.) recorded seven kills, three total blocks (one solo, two assisted) and a dig for the Bobcats. She hit a match-best .583 with no errors.
• Senior middle blocker/outside hitter Shelby Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) notched six kills, three assisted blocks and two digs for Ohio.
• Senior setter Abby Gilleland (Bull Valley, Ill.) dished out a match-high 38 assists to go along with five kills, a service ace and five digs for the Bobcats.
• Senior libero Meredith Ashy (Louisville, Ky.) logged a match-high 23 digs for Ohio to go along with a service ace and three assists.
• Junior setter/defensive specialist Brooke Coleman (Plano, Texas) contributed 12 digs for the Bobcats.
• Sophomore left side hitter Anna Wenger led Akron with 10 kills and also contributed an assisted block and three digs.
• Junior right side hitter Amanda Bedell totaled nine kills and three assisted blocks for the Zips.
• Senior middle blocker Kelsey Wilson compiled a match-high six assisted blocks to go along with five kills and four digs for Akron.
• Junior setter Karley Kusan led the Zips with 27 assists and added three kills, an assisted block and eight digs.
• Junior defensive specialist Brenna Mack led Akron with 21 digs and also contributed an assist.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Ohio jumped out to a 20-9 lead in the opening set thanks to five kills by Salis, two by Bull and Walker and kills by Gilleland, Kosiorek and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Ali Lake (Liberty Township, Ohio. Akron countered with a 5-1 run to shave Ohio's lead to 21-14, but the Bobcats grabbed the 1-0 match lead thanks to two more kills by Salis and kills by Lake and Gilleland.
• The Bobcats recorded a nine-point victory in the second set with five kills by Salis, three kills and two assisted blocks by Kosiorek, two kills and two assisted blocks by Bull and a kill and two assisted blocks by Walker.
• The Zips did not go away quietly, though, as Akron built an early 7-3 lead in the third set. Ohio responded with an 11-5 run that featured three kills by Salis, two by Walker, a double block by Walker and Kosiorek and a service ace by Kosiorek. Double blocks by Wilson and Bedell and Wilson and junior left side hitter Julia Smagacz allowed Akron to even the set at 14-all, but Ohio closed the sweep out with another 11-5 run. Three kills by Kosiorek, two by Bull and kills by Walker, Lake and Gilleland closed out the victory.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
• Ohio recognized its five-member senior class of Ashy, Bull, Gilleland, Walker and setter/defensive specialist Aubree Hord (Loveland, Ohio) prior to Saturday's match. The seniors have combined to guide the Bobcats to 94 wins, four MAC East Division titles, three MAC regular season crowns and the 2013 MAC tournament title and an NCAA Championship berth.
• The Bobcats clinched at least a share of the MAC East Division crown for the 13th-straight season.
• Ohio has won at least 13 conference matches in a regular season in 13 of the past 14 seasons.
• Ohio is now 32-23 (.582) all-time against Akron and has taken 11 straight from the Zips.
• The 71 digs for the Bobcats marked the most for Ohio in a three-set match in 2015.
• Salis notched her sixth double-double of the season and eighth of her career. She has recorded double-digit kills eight times this season and 11 times in her career and posted double-digit digs for the 16th time this season and 32nd time in her career.
• Gilleland recorded double-digit assists for the 29th time this season and 121st time in her career.
• Ashy has achieved double-digit digs 25 times in 2015 -- including at least 20 for the 13th time. She has notched double-digit digs 109 times in her career -- including 20 or more 44 times. Her program-record 2,140 career digs rank 10th in MAC history.

QUOTABLE
"Tonight was probably one part about volleyball and a lot of parts about honoring the seniors. I think we did that well tonight. It was great to see those kids get a win, obviously, on their senior night. They've given so much to this program throughout their careers. We know they have more games here, obviously, with the postseason coming up. It was great to honor them tonight. I'm glad we had that opportunity." - Second-Year Head Coach Deane Webb

"It's a super emotional day. I think when almost a quarter or nearly half of your team are upperclassmen, I think just naturally senior night is an emotional thing. Not only is it the end of conference play and kind of the turning of the page, it's kind of a bittersweet night for some of the seniors." - Senior Setter Abby Gilleland

"Walking into the locker room and it was decorated, that's when all the emotion kicked in. We all sobbed. It was just really sweet. So much effort was put into it, and you could tell by it that they really appreciate us seniors." - Senior Libero Meredith Ashy

WHAT'S NEXT
No. 2-seeded Ohio will play either No. 3-seeded Kent State, No. 6-seeded Ball State or No. 7-seeded Buffalo on Saturday (Nov. 21) in the 2015 MAC Championship semifinals. The match will get underway at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Convocation Center. The 2015 MAC Championship opens on Thursday (Nov. 19) with first-round action between No. 5-seeded Western Michigan and No. 8-seeded Eastern Michigan at 5:30 p.m. ET, followed by Ball State taking on Buffalo at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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