Miami Ohio University Athletics
Volleyball Team Embarks on Grueling Three-Match Week
10/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 30, 2001
REDHAWKS EMBARK ON GRUELING THREE-MATCH WEEK
After upending Eastern Michigan in five games on Friday, Miami University's volleyball team (10-8, 7-4 Mid-American Conference) embarks on a grueling three-match stretch this week. The RedHawks travel to Ball State (15-6, 11-2 MAC) for a 7 p.m. match on Wednesday against the West Division co-leading Cardinals. Miami then hits the road to battle East Division leader Akron (14-5, 8-4 MAC) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, before returning home to host Kent State (12-9, 7-7 MAC) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The RedHawk try to avenge their loss at Kent State two weeks ago.
MAC MANIA
With three weeks remaining in the MAC regular season, the race to get into the tournament is heating up. For the first time in a long time, the Mid-American Conference race to the tournament is exceptionally tight. Northern Illinois and Ball State are ahead of the pack right now with 11-2 marks. Seven other teams, including Miami, own seven or eight league wins. Not only is it going to be a battle to earn hosting rights, the next few weeks are going to be crucial to determine who will be vying for those coveted eight spots in the tournament.
ABOUT BALL STATE
The Cardinals (15-6, 11-2 MAC) enter Wednesday's match with the nation's third-longest active homecourt win streak with 40 consecutive wins. Ball State also owns a 41-match conference win streak. Their last home loss was to Miami in 1997. Last week, BSU posted wins over Bowling Green, Ohio and Eastern Michigan. Ball State is led by Megan Hammons, who averages 4.00 kills per game, 2.51 digs per game and 0.86 blocks per game. She also owns a team-best 25 kills. At the net, the Cardinals are led by Julie Zylka and Susie Meshberger, who average 1.26 and 1.03 blocks per game, respectively.
THE SERIES
The series it tied 28-28. Earlier this season, Ball State captured a three-game win over the RedHawks in Oxford. The Cardinals own a 14-11 advantage when playing in Muncie.
ABOUT AKRON
Following a three-game loss to the RedHawks, Akron (14-5, 8-4 MAC) won three straight before falling in four games at Northern Illinois last weekend. The East Division leading Zips play at Marshall on Wednesday, before hosting Miami on Friday. Katie Kuzior leads Akron, averaging 3.17 kills per game and 1.11 blocks per game.
THE SERIES
Miami is 18-6 when facing Akron. Earlier this season, Miami notched a three-game win over the Zips in Oxford to snap a three-match losing skid against Akron. Miami is 4-4 when facing the Zips in Akron.
ABOUT KENT STATE
Kent State (12-9, 7-7 MAC) plays a non-conference match on Tuesday and is off until facing Miami on Saturday. Last week, KSU fell to Northern Illinois and Toledo. Sarah Kutschinski leads the team, averaging 4.07 kills per game and 2.97 digs per game. Jennifer Dreyer owns a team-best 30 service aces.
THE SERIES
Two weeks ago, Miami dropped a five-game battle to Kent State. Miami owns a 38-7 advantage in the series, although its last win was in 1998. The RedHawks are 17-4 when playing in Oxford.
QUITE THE BLOCKING DUO
Junior middle hitter Jennifer Eaton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) and junior outside hitter Kelly McCullough (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) have been quite the blocking duo for Miami. Eaton, who leads the league in blocks with 1.57 blocks per game, and McCullough, who is the leagues' top blocking outside hitter, account for 50 percent of the RedHawks' blocks this season. No other tandem in the league teams up for as many blocks per game.
McCULLOUGH MAKING STRONG CAMPAIGN AS MAC'S TOP OUTSIDE HITTER
A quiet giant in terms of her soft-spoken demeanor but potent court presence, junior outside hitter Kelly McCullough's numbers have been speaking volumes this season, strengthening her campaign as the MAC's top outside hitter. Despite always being targeted as Miami's top player, McCullough maintains her high numbers. No other outside hitter ranks as high on the conference charts in as many categories as her. McCullough, who ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage, is the league's top outside hitter in that category. She also ranks seventh in blocks per game, just 0.01 blocks per game behind outside hitter Katie Kuzior, but owns more total blocks than Kuzior. Ranked fifth in kills, only two outside hitters in the MAC own better kill-per-game averages than McCullough.
EAGAN AND EATON ARE POWERFUL DEFENSIVE TANDEM, BOTH RANK AMONG TOP 20 IN RECENT NATIONAL STATS
Miami juniors Erika Eagan (Bloomington, Ill./Tri-Valley) and Jennifer Eaton have team up to created a powerful defensive tandem for the RedHawks. Eagan, an outside hitter, has been among national leaders in digs all season, and ranked 18th in last week's national statistics averaging 3.99 digs per game. Eaton, a middle hitter, broke into the national statistics three weeks ago and moved up to 12th averaging 1.60 blocks per game. As a team, Miami ranked 29th in blocks per game (2.88).
MIAMI 3, EASTERN MICHIGAN 2
Miami upended Eastern Michigan 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. The Eagles built a 17-12 lead. Miami was able to inch to within one, 22-23, but EMU outscored the RedHawks 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.
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.
In the fifth game, Erika Eagan 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, a Summer Clouse (Tiffin, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon) service ace, a block by Kelly 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.
BLOCK PARTY
The RedHawks have been fairly close to their competition in terms of statistical averages this season, except in blocks. Overall, Miami is out-blocking its opponents 2.8 blocks per game to 2.4. In conference only action, the RedHawks are out-blocking their opponents 3.0 to 2.2 blocks per game. Two weekends ago, Miami maintained its strength at the net, posting a 3.1 to 1.4 block-per-game ratio over its two matches.
LEADERS OF THE MAC
Four Miami players are among the top four in different MAC statistical categories. Jennifer Eaton leads the conference in blocks (1.57 per game), Erika Eagan leads the MAC in digs (4.00 per game), Summer Clouse ranks second in assists (12.44 per game) and Kelly McCullough ranks fourth in hitting percentage (.324). McCullough also ranks fifth in kills (3.90) and seventh in blocks (1.11 per game). As a team, Miami leads the MAC in blocks (2.81 per game) and is fourth in assists (13.76 per game)
EATON 'EM UP AT THE NET
Junior middle hitter Jennifer Eaton continues her assault at the net. Eaton has produced six or more blocks in 11 matches, including four matches with 10 or more blocks. Averaging 1.57 blocks per game, she ranks 12th nationally. She also owns a league-best 1.80 blocks per game in conference only action.
SHE CAN DIG IT
Erika Eagan has been pacing Miami's defense in the dig category all season. She ranks 18th nationally in digs, averaging 4.00 per game, and ranked as high as seventh. Eagan has been in double figures for digs in all but two matches this season, she tallied nine digs in both of those matches.
FOUR IN A ROW
For the first time since 1999, Miami put together four conference wins. Miami's streak was snapped, however, with a five-game loss at Kent State on Oct. 20.
OFF AND RUNNING IN OCTOBER
Characteristically a strong month for Carolyn Condit and her Miami teams, Miami is off and running in October. Thus far the RedHawks are off to a 5-2 start. Under Condit, Miami is 122-62 during October, for a .663 winning percentage. Only one Condit coached team has yielded a record under .500 in October-the 1993 squad, which went 3-7.
EATON NOTCHES MIAMI'S FIRST BACK-TO-BACK TRIPLE-DOUBLES ON RECORD
Junior middle hitter Jennifer Eaton recorded the first back-to-back triple-doubles on record for the Miami University volleyball program (Miami records date back to 1984). On Friday, Oct. 5, Eaton notched 14 kills, a career-high-tying 19 digs and 11 blocks, including a career-high 10 block assists, in a four-game win over Ohio (30-26, 30-27, 21-30, 30-20). What makes the feat even more impressive is that she was only two kills shy of the triple-double by the end of the third game.
Eaton followed that performance by repeating the feat with a 12-kill, 13-dig, 10-block triple-double in a four-game win at Buffalo on Sunday, Oct. 7. The RedHawks topped the Bulls 30-25, 25-30, 30-27 and 30-21. Her 10 block assists against the Bulls tied a career-high, which she set on Friday. She also produced a career-best four service aces.
EATON POSTS THIRD TRIPLE-DOUBLE OF SEASON
In early October, junior middle hitter Jennifer Eaton recorded the first back-to-back triple-doubles on record for the Miami University volleyball program. Last weekend she became the first in the program's history to produce three triple-doubles in the same season, amassing 14 kills, 14 digs and 10 blocks in a four-game win at Bowling Green. She is only the second person to post three triple-doubles in a career. Lori Reinart tallied two as a senior in 1996 and one as a sophomore in 1994. All of Eaton's triple-doubles have come in four-game matches.
EATON NAMED MAC PLAYER AND SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
The awards keep coming for Miami University junior middle hitter Jennifer Eaton. Following a weekend when she recorded Miami University's first back-to-back triple-doubles, Eaton was named Mid-American Conference Volleyball East Division Player of the Week on Oct. 8 and was MAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Oct. 9.
McCULLOUGH NAMED MAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior outside hitter Kelly McCullough was named East Division Co-Player of the Week by the Mid-American Conference Sept. 24. McCullough continues to solidify her campaign as one of the league's top players and her dominance as the MAC's top blocker at outside hitter. McCullough averaged 1.38 blocks per game from her right side position, including a 1.40 block-per-game outing against Northern Illinois. She produced a .471 hitting percentage for the weekend, including a stellar .585 hitting percentage against NIU.
McCullough averaged 4.75 kills per game over Miami's two matches and yielded 5.40 kills per game against the Huskies. Her 27 kills against NIU is a career-high and the most by any RedHawk this season. In 68 swings, she made just six hitting errors. To top off her weekend, she added a team-best three service aces to her performance and also notched 1.62 digs per game.
McCULLOUGH EARNS SECOND PLAYER OF WEEK HONOR
Miami University junior outside hitter Kelly McCullough was named East Division Player of the Week by the Mid-American Conference Oct. 15, marking the second time this season she's earned the honor. She also was tabbed MAC East Division co-Player of the Week on Sept. 25.
McCullough led Miami to its third straight MAC win, the first time in a year Miami had put together three consecutive league wins, downing East Division leader Akron in three games on Oct. 13 to lift Miami into first place in the East Division for the first time since the start of the 1999 MAC season. McCullough posted 11 kills and a .429 hitting percentage against the Zips and notched five blocks.
Against Wright State, McCullough led Miami with 19 kills to average 3.80 kills per game and also produced 14 digs, two key service aces and five blocks.
For the week, she averaged a solid 3.75 kills per game, a .390 hitting percentage, 1.25 blocks per game and 2.38 digs per game.
This is the first time since the 1998 season that a RedHawk has been the MAC Player of the Week twice in one season. Alissia Thompson earned the honor twice that season. It also is the first time since the 1997 season that Miami has had athletes named Player of the Week three times (Jessica Stout, Lauren Hirsch and Julie Sterk). Both of those seasons Miami won the MAC title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Last week, Jennifer Eaton earned player of the week accolades for the RedHawks.
NOTCHING 150
With wins over Illinois State and Purdue at the Miami/Best Western Inn Classic, Miami's volleyball program attained its 150th triumph in Millett Hall since becoming the homecourt of Miami Volleyball in 1985. The RedHawks topped the Redbirds in five games and the Boilermakers in four.
Over the last 16 years, Miami has compiled a 154-63 record at Millett Hall, a winning percentage of .714. The team has registered an even more impressive 56-18 mark over the past five seasons (1996-2000), a winning percentage of .757. Miami has compiled a 39-13 mark (.750) in the Mid-American Conference during that five-year period.
MIAMI/BEST WESTERN INN CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
For a second consecutive week, junior outside hitter Kelly McCullough was named to an all-tournament team. McCullough and senior outside hitter Lee Ann Karr were named to the Miami/Best Western Inn Classic All-Tournament Team. This is the fourth all-tournament team for McCullough in two seasons and the first for Karr.
McCULLOUGH: MS. ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
In reward for her efforts at the Miami/Best Western Inn Classic, Kelly McCullough was decorated with all-tournament team accolades for the second straight week, her fourth appearance on an all-tournament team in two years. (She had to sit out much of the first tournament of last season with a severely sprained ankle.) She was named to the Valparaiso Invitational All-Tournament in Miami's opening weekend of the 2001 season. Last year, she was named to the Pittsburgh and South Carolina all-tournament teams.
McTOURNAMENT TEAM
Following a two-match stint at the Valparaiso Invitational, Miami junior outside hitter Kelly McCullough and sophomore setter Melinda McCormick were named to the all-tournament team. This marked McCullough's third-straight all-tournament team appearance, being named to the Pittsburgh and South Carolina Invitational all-tournament teams last season. McCormick earned her first all-tournament team honor, averaging 11.00 assists per game over the weekend.
FOUR OF A KIND
Miami has had a pipeline of sorts to Cincinnati's Ursuline Academy over the past few years. Four student-athletes on Miami's roster hail from Ursuline Academy. In 1998, Robyn Byrnes and Jennifer Eaton joined the Miami squad after playing out their prep careers at Ursuline Academy. In 1999, senior Sarah Uehlin transferred from Eastern Michigan to continue her career closer to home. After having to sit out a season due to NCAA transfer guidelines, Uehlin activated in 2000. Sophomore Amy Doran is the most recent Ursuline Academy addition, after graduating in 2000.
COMEBACK KIDS
A seven-point come-from-behind win in Game One set the tone for the rest of the match as Miami downed Valparaiso in three games in its first match of the Valparaiso Invitational. With game point on the line and its largest deficit of the game, 22-29, Miami rallied to record nine straight points. Three kills and two block assists by Jessica Rayburg and two block assists and the game-winning kill by Lee Ann Karr sparked Miami in its nine-point run. The RedHawks took their first lead of the game off a block by Rayburg and Karr to make the score 30-29. Moments later, Karr put the game away with a kill. Miami went on to win the match 31-29, 30-28, 31-29.
