Oct. 19, 2002

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio-A kill by Kelly McCullough (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) early in the first game to give the RedHawks a 12-10 advantage over the visiting Bowling Green Falcons was a monumental one for the senior outside hitter. McCullough's third kill of the match also was the 1,000th of her career. McCullough finished the match with 11 kills and now owns 1,008 career kills.

Miami, however, dropped the four-game match (30-32, 30-26, 28-30, 29-31) as BGSU went on to claim its first Mid-American Conference win. Miami falls to 7-13 overall and 2-6 in MAC action, while the Falcons improve to 6-15 overall and 1-8 in league play.

In the first game, Miami owned a late 29-26 lead, but was unable to maintain the advantage. After a five-point run, Miami owned its largest lead of the game, 27-23, thanks in part to two kills from senior middle hitter Jennifer Eaton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) and a service ace by sophomore outside hitter Tara Buroker (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton). With game point on the line, 29-26, three BGSU kills and a block and a service ace by BGSU's Samantha Rennau thwarted Miami's efforts as the Falcons took the first game, 30-32.

Spurred by a seven-point run, Miami went on to capture the second game, 30-26. Down 10-13, the RedHawks collected points off kills by sophomore outside hitter Angie Zent (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrup) and McCullough, a pair of blocks by junior middle hitter Susan Poll (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Kentwood) and Zent and service ace from Eaton to go on the seven-point run and take the 17-13 lead-an advantage they would not relinquish. Bowling Green came back to knot the game, 21-21, but that would be as close as the Falcons would get. A kill from senior outside hitter Erika Eagan (Bloomington, Ill./Tri-Valley) and a BGSU attack error iced the game for the RedHawks.

Down 16-24 in the third game, Miami battled back to knot the game, 26-26. The RedHawks' 10-2 run was sparked by a solo block from Poll, a block by the McCullough/Eaton tandem, two kills from McCullough and kills by Poll and Eagan. The two teams traded points until Bowling Green blocked a RedHawk attack and benefited from a Miami attack error to take the third game 30-28.

The fourth game was tight with no team owning more than a three-point lead. The RedHawks were at match point after a kill by Buroker, 29-28. But a kill by BGSU's Laura Twyman, a Miami attack error and a service ace by BGSU's Melissa Mohr ended the match with the Falcons taking the fourth game, 31-29.

For Miami, Buroker posted 18 kills, 17 digs and three blocks, while Poll amassed 14 kills a .370 hitting percentage and eight blocks. Eaton and Eagan added 14 and 11 digs, respectively.

Miami returns to action when it hosts Ball State on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.