Oct. 25, 2003

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio-After a five-match road stretch and returning home for the first time since October 4, Miami University's volleyball team (7-18; 1-9 Mid-American Conference) hosted Ohio University (18-3; 9-0 MAC) but suffered a three-game loss to the Bobcats, 22-30, 18-30, 18-30.

Ohio extended its win streak to 16 matches with the triumph.

Three times throughout the early stages of the first game Ohio led by as many as seven, including an 18-11 edge off a kill by junior outside hitter Ashley Elliott. Miami crept back to within four points twice-15-19 off a kill by junior outside hitter Angie Zent (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop) and 20-24 off a block by sophomore setter Megan Clark (Solon, Ohio/Solon) and senior middle hitter Susan Poll (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Kentwood). The Bobcats, however, ended the first game on a 6-2 run to capture the set off a kill by sophomore middle hitter Julia Winkfield, 30-22.

On a block by Zent and redshirt freshman middle hitter Lauren Slusser (Columbus Grove, Ohio/Columbus Grove), Miami was able to post a 7-5 edge in the second game. Ohio rattled off three unanswered points off a pair of sophomore outside hitter Holly Schetzsle kills and a service ace by freshman setter Savanah Parra to post an 8-7 advantage. Miami was able to pull within one five times, the last time off an Ohio service error to make the score 13-14. From there, the Bobcats went on a 13-2 surge to make the score 27-15 and eventually notched the 30-18 Game Two win.

Bolstered by a .452 hitting percentage in the third game, Ohio quickly notched a 6-1 lead early in the set. A service ace by sophomore middle hitter Natalie Kapteyn (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Kentwood) and a block by junior outside hitter Tara Buroker (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) pushed Miami within two, 4-6. Ohio extended its lead to 15-9 off a senior outside hitter Lindsay Judice kill and eventually took the game, 30-18, on a kill by freshman middle hitter Jenna Gaurghran.

Laura Hageman paced the Bobcats with a match-best 13 kills, a .545 hitting percentage and six blocks (one solo; five assists). Judice added 12 kills, while Schetzsle collected 10 kills. Freshman libero Michaele Blackburn posted a match-high 15 digs.

For the RedHawks, Buroker notched 11 digs, while Poll tallied three blocks.

Miami returns to action at Marshall at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31 and returns home to host Kent State on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2:30 p.m.