Sept. 21, 2001
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - Miami University's volleyball team was victorious in its Mid-American Conference opener, downing the University of Toledo (4-2, 01 MAC) in three games 30-20, 30-28, 30-26. Miami improves to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in league action.
In the first game, Miami used accurate hitting to capture the 30-20 win. As a team, the RedHawks produced a .438 hitting percentage with four players hitting at or above .600, as compared to Toledo's .139 hitting percentage. Junior outside hitter Kelly McCullough (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) led the team with a .714 hitting percentage in the first stanza, tallying five kills in seven attempts with no hitting errors. With just a 14-13 advantage, Miami rattled off 10 unanswered points to build a 24-13 lead. The two teams went back and forth with points until Miami took the game 30-20.
Three service aces down the stretch helped Miami pull out a 30-28 win in the second game. Down by as many as four, including a 15-19 deficit, Miami rallied to overtake the Rockets and claim a two-game lead in the match. McCullough served up two straight aces to knot the game, 27-27. A McCullough service error handed the Rockets a 28-27 edge, but kills by sophomore middle hitter Susan Poll (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Kentwood) and senior setter Summer Clouse (Tiffin, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon) set up Miami at game point. Junior outside hitter Erika Eagan (Bloomington, Ill./Tri-Valley) took the serve and unleashed an ace to hand the RedHawks the win. During the second game, junior outside hitter Jennifer Eaton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) produced six block assists.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle throughout the third game, with Miami earning a 30-26 triumph to capture the match. No team held more than a three-point advantage until the final points of the game. Toledo closed within two, 28-26, but kills by Poll and Eaton iced the match for the RedHawks.
McCullough notched a match-high 11 kills and added seven digs, four blocks and two service aces in the win. Eagan posted a match-best 16 digs and also tallied four blocks. Eaton led the 'Hawks with a .438 hitting percentage and six blocks. Poll added nine kills and six blocks, while Clouse tallied 40 assists.
Lindsey Kretzmann led the Rockets with 10 kills and three blocks. Theresa Estes added 11 digs.
Miami continues MAC action this weekend, hosting Northern Illinois Saturday night at 7 p.m.
