Kent State volleyball lost a heartbreaker to Akron at Rhodes Arena in Akron last night.

Kent State is 7-6 this season and travels to Buffalo, to face another MAC opponent tonight.

The Zips controlled the first two games of the match winning 33-31 and 30-21. Kent State came alive to win the next two matches 30-25 and 30-26.

By then it was a classic battle of a MAC rivalry.

In the fifth and final game, Kent State took control early leading 8-5 halfway through. But Akron stormed back behind freshman Brionna Patterson. The Zips outscored Kent State 11-6 to win the final match 16-14. Patterson hit the game-winning kill.

Junior middle hitter Molly Rutledge’s 22 kills and four blocks as well as Patterson’s 20 kills led Akron.

Kent State’s freshman setter Katie Veatch set a season-high for assists with 64.

Junior outside hitter Anja Knabe-Paulsen led Kent State with 20 kills and 17 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Feutz added 4 four aces and junior defensive specialist Laura Jensen had 35 digs.

“It always sucks to lose,” senior middle blocker Sarah Wilber said. “We can’t walk away upset with how we came out of that game just because we came back and we fought hard. We showed some things we haven’t showed in awhile. It was still a good game.”

She also said revenge against Akron this season is on her mind.

“We’re already thinking about when they are going to come to our court,” Wilber said. She said that the team is focusing on winning against Buffalo tonight and that the team will continue to take the season one game at a time.

Contact sports reporter Nate Stuart at [email protected].