TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo volleyball team took advantage of the home crowd on Saturday night inside Savage Arena as the Rockets triumphed over Akron, 3-2. The Rockets went a perfect 2-0 over the weekend in their first home Mid-American Conference weekend of the season.

Three players earned double-digit kills for the Rockets with senior Saige Thomas leading the way with 13 kills. Fellow senior Rachel Vidourek tallied 10 kills while freshman Chloee Kleespies earned 10 kills and led the Rockets with a .346 attack percentage.

Junior Carly Townsend recorded her third double-double of the season after registering 41 assists and 13 digs against the Zips. Townsend had a stellar weekend, collecting 76 assists and 21 digs.

Defensively, the Rockets were dominant at the net recording 10 blocks with Vidourek leading the charge with five. Over the weekend against Ball State and Akron, Toledo recorded 21 total blocks.

With the home weekend sweep, the Rockets are now 2-2 in MAC play and 7-9 overall. UT will continue its four-game homestand next weekend as Toledo squares off with defending MAC Tournament champion Northern Illinois and Western Michigan.

First Set:
It was a tough start for the Rockets in the first set as Akron had 14 kills to Toledo's six to control the first, 25-14. The Zips scored the first five points of the match and 10 of the first 13 to take a commanding 10-3 lead early. UT cut the lead to 11-6 after back-to-back kills by Vidourek but Akron responded with three straight points to open up their lead and take the match. In the first set, Akron's Kayla Gwozdz had six kills.

Second Set:
The second set was a much different story for the Rockets as they recorded an attack percentage of .250 to claim the second set, 25-21. After both teams went back and forth through the first 20 points, Toledo held on to a slim 11-9 lead midway through. Late in the set the Rockets rallied off five straight points, three of which were attack errors by Akron to tie the match at 1-1.

Third Set:
Toledo was dominant in the third set as seven different players recorded a kill en routre to a 25-16 set victory. Midway through the set, UT rattled off five straight points to take a 16-7  lead and continued to extend their lead after a kill by Thomas and then a service ace. With the Rockets ahead 24-11, the Zips scored six straight points before a kill by freshman Emma Swope gave Toledo a 2-1 lead in the match.

Fourth Set:
Battling back and forth early in the fourth set, Akron claimed the lead and never looked back after securing four straight points to take a 12-9 lead. Toledo cut the Akron led to three at 24-21 late in the fourth before a kill by Akron's Madi Baer forced a fifth set. Down the stretch, the Zips scored six of the final 10 points.

Fifth Set:
UT came out blazing in the fifth set as they took an early 4-1 lead before Akron rallied back with three straight to tie the match. At the fifth set intermission, the Rockets were out in front after scoring five straight points to take a 9-5 lead. The Rockets won the final three points with kills from three different players as Chloee Kleespies, Emma Swope and Rachel Vidourek notched kills to give UT the victory over Akron.