Oct. 21, 2005
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio--Behind 15.0 team blocks, Miami University's volleyball squad captured a 30-25, 30-28, 25-30, 30-27 win over the University of Akron (8-14; 3-7 Mid-American Conference) on Friday evening to improve to 13-7 overall and 6-3 in MAC action.
Miami's 15.0 blocks were its most in MAC play this season and its second-highest block output of the season. The RedHawks tallied 16.0 blocks in their season-opening weekend against Temple.
After a 6-6 tie in the first game, Akron took an 8-6 lead off kills by Molly Rutledge and Jennifer Stewart. Miami, however, went on a 4-0 run with help from a kill by sophomore outside hitter Jeanna Staun (Loveland, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) and a block by sophomore middle hitter Carli Reihman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) and senior outside hitter Kristen Walters (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) to capture a 10-8 edge, and the Zips would never lead again. Akron tied the game twice--at 10-10 and 20-20--but Miami went on a 3-0 spurt off kills by Stuan, Walters and freshman middle hitter Emily Schroeder (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) to post a 23-20 edge and eventually pushed its lead to 28-23 with help from blocks by Schroeder and sophomore outside hitter Kate Norris (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) and Reihman and freshman outside hitter Alex Ratcliff (Champaign, Ill./Champaign Central). A kill by Reihman clinched the first game for the RedHawks, 30-25.
The teams were neck-and-neck in the second game until Miami rattled off three straight points, spurred by a Reihman kill and Ratcliff service ace, to notch a 17-14 lead. Akron came back, and kills by Stewart and Mara Capraruolo helped the Zips post a 24-22 edge. Two kills by Walters, one from Staun and another Ratcliff service ace comprised a 4-0 Miami run to hand the RedHawks a 26-24 advantage and a lead it would not relinquish. The Zips closed the gap to one late, 28-29, off kills by Emily Kocinski and Rutledge, but a Schroeder kill iced the second game for the `Hawks, 30-28.
Again, the teams were neck-and-neck early in the third game. Akron was able to gain a 21-17 lead with help from blocks by Capraruolo/Catherine Wolfe and Wolfe/Kocinski and eventually the Zips posted a 24-20 lead. Miami chipped away at the Zip lead to pull within one of the Zips, 23-24, off kills by Schroeder, Reihman and Ratcliff, but Akron stormed to the 30-25 game-three win.
A Staun block knotted the fourth game, 14-14, but Akron rattled off five unanswered points with help from a kill by Capraruolo and a block by Capraruolo and Wolfe to notch a 19-14 lead. But Miami went on a 7-0 run, highlighted by a Reihman service ace and a block by Schroeder and senior setter Megan Clark (Solon, Ohio/Solon) to collect a 22-20 edge. Akron came back to knot the game 23-23, 24-24 and 25-25 before Miami surged to a 29-26 lead. A kill by Cararuolo held off the RedHawks for a bit, but Schroeder hammered a kill to hand Miami the match off a 30-27 game-four win.
Schroeder led the RedHawks with 15 kills and added a career-high 18 digs and six blocks (2 solo; 4 assist). Reihman and Ratcliff added 13 kills apiece, while Reihman also posted 13 digs and four blocks. Stuan tallied 12 kills, while senior libero Suzy Wolford (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) recorded 19 digs. Norris paced the RedHawks at the net with seven blocks (2 solo; 5 assist), while Clark added 36 assists.
The Zips were led by Rutledge, who notched a match-high 20 kills. Stewart added 16 kills and 13 digs, while Kocinski notched 13 kills and 15 digs.
Miami rounds out a four-match home stretch, hosting Buffalo at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22. As part of its Volleyball Alumnae Weekend, Miami will honor its Mid-American Conference Championship teams from 1980, 1981, 1995 and 1996 between games two and three of the match.
