Oct. 26, 2001
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - Miami University's volleyball team (10-8, 7-4 Mid-American Conference) upended Eastern Michigan (14-7, 8-5 MAC) in a five-game, cross-division battle 24-30, 30-14, 25-30, 30-27 and 15-13 to thwart the Eagles' four-match win streak.
In game one, the two teams went back and forth in the early stages. Two straight service aces by Camila Olaio tied the game handed Eastern Michigan a 13-12 lead. One of Kelly McCullough's (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) seven kills knotted the game, 13-13. The Eagles, however, built a 12-17 lead. Miami was able to inch to within one, 22-23, but the Eagles outscored the RedHawks down the stretch 7-2 to take the first game 30-24.
Contrary to the first game, Miami came out and controlled the second game, posting a 30-14 Game Two triumph to halt the Eagles' 13-game win streak. The 'Hawks led by as many as 18, 25-7. Six kills apiece by Lee Ann Karr (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) and Tara Buroker (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) spurred the RedHawks in the second stanza. Miami also posted a .268 hitting percentage compared to EMU's -.047.
Holding a 5-4 advantage, Miami was served a blow as Buroker suffered an ankle injury, which pulled her from the contest. It was a nip-and-tuck battle with no team holding more that a three-point edge until the Eagles took a 28-24 lead. EMU outscored Miami 13-3 over the last part of the set to take the game 30-25.
Again, the fourth game was a close battle with no team posting more than a two-point advantage until the RedHawks notched a 29-26 edge off a Susan Poll (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Kentwood) kill. A Miami service error handed the Eagles their 27th point and the serve, but a big block by Poll iced the game for the RedHawks, 30-27, and sent the game into a deciding game. The second time in as many games Miami has gone five games.
In the fifth game, Erika Eagan (Bloomington, Ill./Tri-Valley) served up a critical ace to knot the game, 6-6. The Eagles pulled out to a 10-7 edge. A kill by Jennifer Eaton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy), a Summer Clouse (Tiffin, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon) service ace, a block by McCullough and Eaton and an EMU attack error gave Miami an 11-10 edge. The RedHawks went on to claim the final game and the match, 15-13.
For the RedHawks, McCullough posted 18 kills and four blocks, Eaton produced 14 kills, 20 digs and six blocks and Lee Ann Karr added 11 kills and 20 digs. Eagan also notched three service aces and a match-best 21 digs, while Clouse produced 62 assists and two service aces.
Leading Eastern Michigan was Shayna Munson with 18 kills, 13 digs and four blocks and Emily Busch with 16 kills, 19 digs and four blocks. Jennifer Nighswander added 13 kills, two service aces and 18 digs.
Miami has the rest of the weekend off before playing three league contests next week. The RedHawk travel to Ball State for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday and play at Akron at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Miami the returns home to host Kent State at 7 p.m. next Saturday.
