Oct. 25, 2008
Final Stats
OXFORD, Ohio - In a heartbreaker, the RedHawk volleyball team erased a two-set deficit Saturday against Ball State to send the match to a decisive fifth set, but fell to the Cardinals 16-18 in that set to end their seven match winning streak. Miami is now 14-8 overall, and 8-2 in the Mid-American Conference. Ball State is 10-15 and 5-5 in the MAC.
Ball State built an 8-5 lead in set one, before kills by Andrea Atteberry and Megan Griffin, as well as a block by Griffin and Atteberry tied the score at eight. A 10-5 run gave the Cardinals an 18-13 lead. A 6-1 run followed from the RedHawks. It featured kills by Hallie Hanks and Griffin, and a service ace by Hanks, which gave Miami its first lead of the set at 20-19. The teams traded points until Emily Schroeder recorded a kill to create set point at 24-23. However, Ball State's Alisha Green then recorded three straight kills to give the Cardinals the 26-24 set win.
After sluggish start to the second set, Miami found itself trailing 9-18. Following a timeout, three kills by Schroeder, along with kills by Hanks and Maria Leahy keyed a 6-0 run that pulled the RedHawks to within three at 15-18. Ball State then called timeout to regroup, and went on a 7-2 run to close out the 25-17 set win.
The Cardinals started off the third set with a 3-0 lead. A Leahy kill off an assist from Atteberry seemed to turn the momentum in favor of the RedHawks. A 12-6 run gave Miami a 13-9 advantage. Schroeder scored three more kills to extend the RedHawk lead to 21-15. With the score 22-16, Leahy recorded a service ace, which was followed by a block by Schroeder and Atteberry to create set point. After Ball State fought off one set point, Hanks put down a kill from Atteberry to give Miami set three, 25-17.
In set four, Miami continued to show momentum was now on its side as they jumped to a 9-2 lead. Atteberry opened the set with a service ace, and Melissa Zenz recorded an ace of her own during the run. With the score 14-8, the RedHawks took control of the set as they went on an 11-3 run to win 25-11. Schroeder recorded a solo block to even the match at two sets apiece.
The decisive fifth set was a back-and-forth affair. Ball State took an early lead at 5-3. A block by Schroeder and Griffin, followed by a service ace for Schroeder tied the set at five. The Cardinals then scored three straight points to go up 8-5. After a timeout, the teams traded points until it was 12-9 in favor of Ball State. Miami closed it to within one at 12-13 after Hanks recorded a kill, but the Cardinals' Jennifer Boyd returned the favor with a kill of her own to set up match point. The RedHawks fought off two match points with a kill by Schroeder, followed by a Ball State attack error. The Cardinals were able to set up two more match points, but each time the RedHawks were able to fight it off. Finally with the score 17-16 in favor of Ball State, Michele Metzler hit her attack long and the Cardinals had the set and the match.
For the match, Hanks led the team with 15 kills. Schroeder was right behind her with 13 kills of her own. Atteberry, who after the match was honored for recording her 3,000th assist last week, had 49 assists. Zenz recorded 29 digs, only one short of her Miami career high. The team hit .199 for the match, compared to .159 for Ball State.
Miami will travel to Bowling Green on Thursday, October 30 for a 7 p.m. match. They return home on Saturday, November 1 for a 5 p.m. match against Northern Illinois.
