Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
Montana State University
Volleyball Tops Valparaiso, Falls to Montana State at Valparaiso Invitational
9/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2001
VALPARAISO, Ind. - In its opening weekend, Miami University went 1-1 at the Valparaiso Invitational, posting a three-game triumph over host Valparaiso University and falling to Montana State University in three games. Junior Kelly McCullough and sophomore Melinda McCormick were named to the all-tournament team.
MIAMI 3, VALPARAISO 0
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. All three games were tight with the RedHawks posting 31-29, 30-28 and 31-29 triumphs during the hour and 50-minute match.
With game point on the line and its largest deficit of the game, 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 to overcome a seven-point deficit in the first game. 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.
Game two was a nip-and-tuck battle throughout the entire game. Miami did own a seven-point lead midway through the game, 18-11, but Valparaiso was able to come back and tie the game, 21-21. The two teams went back and forth, tied at 25, 26, 27 and 28. A crucial service ace by Erika Eagan gave Miami the 29-28 lead, and a Crusader attack error handed the RedHawks a 2-0 lead in the match.
After opening up a 5-3 lead in the third game, Miami fell behind 5-6 and was unable to regain the lead until posting a 29-28 edge off a Tara Buroker kill. Valparaiso tied the game on an attack error, but Miami quickly regained the edge on kill by Karr. The RedHawks took the game and the match off a Valparaiso attack error.
Rayburg notched a career-high tying 13 kills to lead the RedHawks. She also posted four blocks and a .462 hitting percentage. In her collegiate debut, Buroker nailed 12 kills for the RedHawks. Defensively, Robyn Byrnes and Erika Eagan each recorded a match-high 16 digs, while Amy Doran added 12. Karr knocked down a career-best six block assists. Melinda McCormick added a career-best 38 assists.
MONTANA STATE 3, MIAMI 0
Miami dropped a hard-fought three-game match to Montana State in its final match of the Valparaiso Invitational. The RedHawks fell 15-30, 28-20 and 27-30.
Hitting at only a .176 efficiency as compared to Montana State's .452 hitting percentage, Miami got off to a slow start in game one, which resulted in a 15-30 loss. McCullough and Karr produced three kills apiece, while Buroker amassed two kills and a .667 hitting percentage.
The second game was much closer as the Red and White fell just two points short, 28-30. The RedHawks earned their first lead of the match off a Montana State attack error, to take 10-9 edge. Several MSU attack errors and a kill by Tara Buroker helped Miami extend its lead to 13-11. The Bobcats, however, regained a 15-13 edge off two service aces, a lead they would not relinquish. Miami fell behind by as many as seven, 18-25, but was able to climb back. With game point on the line, 25-29, kills by Karr and Eagan helped Miami back to within one, 28-29. MSU, however, posted the game-winning point on a block.
Miami jumped out to a 6-3 lead off a pair of kills by Eagan, a kill by Buroker and a McCullough service ace. The two teams battled back and forth throughout the third game. Miami owned a 17-16 edge, but that would be its last lead of the game as it fell 27-30.
Eagan, McCullough and Karr paced the RedHawks with nine kills apiece, and Eagan notched a team-high 11 digs and two service aces.
