Youngstown State University
3-7,0-0Horizon
Akron
4-6,0-0MAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youngstown St. | 25 | 15 | 13 | 21 | 1 |
| Akron | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Penguins Drop Final Three Sets in 3-1 Loss at Akron
9/17/2026 8:39:00 PM | Volleyball
Akron, Ohio — Akron caught fire offensively over the final three sets and defeated the Youngstown State volleyball team 3-1 on Thursday evening at James A. Rhodes Arena. The set scores were 20-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-21.
Kylie Surratt had a match-high 13 kills in 33 attempts, while Wrigley Takats and Ava Stratton both posted eight kills. Korina Barber finished with seven kills and four blocks.
Six players recorded between eight and 12 kills for Akron, and the Zips had just five attack errors over the final three sets. The Zips hit .432 for the match and .558 combined over the final three sets.
Youngstown State built a 13-6 lead in the first set after back-to-back Barber blocks, and the Penguins' advantage was 23-14 later in the set following a Stratton kill. That's when Akron started to gain momentum, closing the gap to 24-20 on a 6-1 run before a serving error gave the Penguins the opening set.
The Zips scored the first four points of the second, and a 5-0 run later in the set allowed them to surge ahead 16-8. Akron hit .600 in the second set to even the match, and it followed with a .619 mark in the third by connecting for kills on 15 of its 21 attempts.
Youngstown State had a strong start to the fourth set and led 8-3 following an Ava Prince kill that capped a 4-0 run. YSU's advantage was 13-10 after a Surratt kill, and the Penguins didn't trail in the set until Lauren Wilson's kill put Akron up 17-16. That came during an 8-2 burst for the Zips that finished with consecutive aces by Vanessa Del Real, and YSU was not able to regain the lead.
Youngstown State will finish nonconference play on Friday by hosting Kent State at 6 p.m. inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. Fans in attendance will receive a YSU Clear Tote Bag.
