Miami University
Wake Forest University
RedHawks Earn First Win of the Season Over Demon Deacons
9/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio - Miami University's volleyball team recorded its first win of the season in an exciting five-game triumph over Wake Forest on Saturday. Miami (1-3) hit a stifling .314 as a team, while Wake Forest (0-2) dropped its second five-game match in a row.
Miami took a 6-4 advantage in game one, but strong serving from Wake Forest's Megan Thornberry helped the Demon Deacons roll off eight consecutive points to take a 12-6 lead. Wake Forest led by as many as nine points, 17-8, before Miami chipped into the Demon Deacon lead. With the RedHawks trailing 14-20, kills by senior middle hitter Carli Reihman and senior outside hitter Jeanna Staun and a service ace by junior libero Melissa Zenz helped cut the Miami deficit to two, 18-20. Miami closed within one point, 28-29, but a Miami service ace gave the Demon Deacons a 30-28 win in game one.
Two kills apiece by junior outside hitter Emily Schroeder and freshman middle hitter Michele Metzler lifted the RedHawks to a 5-0 advantage in game two. Miami's lead was cut to three points at 13-10, but the Red and White never let Wake Forest get any closer as the RedHawks eased their way to a 30-20 game two win. As a team, the RedHawks hit .390 in game two, led by junior outside hitter Alex Ratcliff, who hit .750.
A variety of Miami errors allowed Wake Forest to take a 10-5 game-three lead. Still facing a five point deficit, 9-14, Miami took nine of the next 12 points, capped by a kill from sophomore setter Andrea Atteberry, to take its first lead of the game, 18-17. The match was tied as late as 23-23, before a Wake Forest attack error sandwiched between kills by Staun and Reihman gave Miami a 26-23 advantage. Back-to-back kills by Schroeder cemented the game-three win for the RedHawks, 30-24. The offensive attack for the RedHawks sizzled in game three as Miami put down 20 kills, while amassing only one error.
Game four was a battle throughout with the score tied as late as 28-28. Consecutive kills by Wake Forest's Natalie Mullikin gave the Demon Deacons a 30-28 win and evened the match at two games apiece.
The fifth game got off to rocky start for the Red and White as a Miami attack error and a kill by Mullikin put the RedHawks in a 0-2 hole. Miami evened the score at 2-2 off a kill by Schroeder and a Demon Deacon attack error. Miami took its first lead of the game at 7-6 off a kill by Reihman. Two kills by Schroeder and a solo block by sophomore middle hitter Megan Griffin helped the RedHawks lead expand to 11-7. After Wake Forest closed the gap to two points, 13-11, a kill by Schroeder and a service ace by Staun gave the RedHawks a 15-11 game-five victory.
Staun and Schroeder collected 20 kills apiece to lead Miami, while Zenz posted a match-high 20 digs. Reihman notched a double-double with 15 kills and 18 digs, while Atteberry set a career-high with 68 assists.
Jessica Furlong led the Demon Deacons with 24 kills.
Miami concludes the Miami Best Western / Sycamore Inn Classic at 7 p.m. versus Pittsburgh.
