Ohio Volleyball Opens Weekend with 3-1 Victory over Akron

Friday, October 2

Athens, Ohio

6 p.m. ET

10-4,3-0MAC

Akron

6-9,1-2MAC

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Akron	23	16	25	16	1
Ohio	25	25	16	25	3

Game Notes Digital Guide

Ohio Volleyball Opens Weekend with 3-1 Victory over Akron

10/2/2026 10:07:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio volleyball team (10-4, 3-0 MAC) defeated Akron (6-9, 1-2 MAC) 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 16-25, 25-16) on Friday, Oct. 2, marking the Bobcats first conference win in the Convocation Center.

Ohio finished with a .254 team hitting percentage, 48 kills, nine aces, six blocks, 45 assists and 44 digs. Akron finished with a .154 team hitting percentage, 46 kills, five aces, five blocks, 40 assists and 39 digs.

Sophomore Bailey Blair (Louisville, Ky.) and senior Olivia Gardner (Macomb, Mich.) led Ohio with double-digit kills. Gardner recorded a .526 attack percentage with 11 kills and one error on 19 total attacks. Blair led the team with 12 kills and 13.5 points. Senior Torre Kildow (Bethesda, Ohio) and freshman Rose Mahin (Franklin, Ind.) combined for 15 kills.

Freshman Rowan Kelly (Akron, Ohio) tallied a team-high 37 assists. Kelly also recorded a .667 attack percentage with four kills and no errors on six total attacks.

Junior Darbi Ricketts (Cincinnati, Ohio) led Ohio at the service line with four aces, matching her career and season best.

Mahin recorded a team-high nine digs while Blair and senior Gentry Brown (Shadyside, Ohio) combined for 16 digs. Senior Emily Waddell (Carmel, Ind.) and Blair were Ohio's top performers at the net. Waddell and Blair finished with a team-high three blocks each while Gardner added another two blocks.

It was a close first set between the Bobcats and the Zips. After being down 16-12, Ohio came back to tie the set at 18-18. Even with the Akron gaining a 22-20 lead, the Bobcats did not relent. Ohio tied the game once again at 23-23 and went on to take the match point lead off an Akron attack error. A block by Gardner and Blair helped Ohio complete the come-from-behind win, 25-23, and take the early 1-0 lead over the Zips.

The Bobcats extended their lead to 2-0 with a strong 25-16 win in the second set. Akron responded with a dominating 25-16 win in the third, cutting Ohio's lead to 2-1.

The Bobcats quickly bounced back in the fourth set. By halfway through, Ohio led Akron 15-12. The Bobcats extended their lead to 22-14 with a 7-2 scoring run. Three-straight points by Ohio secured the set, 25-16, and led to a 3-1 win over Akron.

The Bobcats will conclude the weekend of competition when they host Akron on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. ET. The game will be available to watch on ESPN+.

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