Oct. 8, 2003

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio--Miami University's volleyball squad (7-13) came up short at Wright State (10-7), falling to the Raiders in four games, 30-32, 17-30, 30-23 and 23-30.

Despite a seven-point deficit in the first game, 8-15, Miami scraped away at the Raider lead to knot the game, 28-28. The RedHawks went on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a block by freshman outside hitter Jordan Centers and redshirt freshman middle hitter Lauren Slusser and a service ace by junior outside hitter Angie Zent, to cap the surge. The two teams traded points until back-to-back Raider kills gave Wright State the first game, 32-30.

Six Wright State service aces catapulted the Raiders to a 15-4 lead and a deficit too much for the RedHawks to overcome as WSU rolled to the 30-17 Game Two win. Junior outside hitter Tara Buroker and sophomore middle hitter Natalie Kapteyn each served up aces for the RedHawks.

In the third game, Miami pulled out to a seven-point edge, 14-7, with help from a Slusser/Center block and a pair of Buroker kills. WSU inched within two several times, but a pair back-to-back kills from Zent and Poll extended the lead to six, 27-21. Another kill by Poll and block by the Centers/Slusser tandem put Miami at game point, 29-22, but WSU responded with a block. Centers put down a kill to cinch the game for the RedHawks, 30-23.

Wright State took a 7-4 lead early in the fourth game, but a kill from Slusser and a devastating block by Buroker, knotted the game, 7-7. Eventually a 5-0 Raider run handed WSU a seven-point lead, 17-10. Slusser collected two kills and a block down the stretch, while Zent added a kill and a block, but it was not enough as the Raiders took the match with the 30-23 Game Four win.

For the RedHawks, Zent collected 14 kills, while Poll added 12 and Slusser and Buroker tallied 10 apiece. Sophomore libero Suzy Wolford posted a match-best 20 digs, while Buroker added 14 digs

Miami resumes Mid-American Conference play at Western Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.