Nov. 14, 2008
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio--With a decisive three-set win over the University of Akron on Friday evening at Millett Hall, Miami University's volleyball team remains the hunt for a first-round bye in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
Miami (17-10; 11-4 MAC) closes out the regular season hosting Buffalo at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15.
After a 7-7 tie in the first game, Miami rattled off six unanswered points, sparked by three junior outside hitter Maria Leahy kills and a junior setter Andrea Atteberry service ace, to claim a 13-7 advantage. Miami continued to pad its lead and eventually led 23-12 on the way to a 25-15 set-one win.
Spurred by two senior libero Melissa Zenz service aces, Miami jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead in the second game. Akron climbed back to within one, 8-7, but the RedHawks persevered and never relinquished their lead. Another Zenz ace along with two from junior middle hitter Hallie Hanks helped Miami build a 22-15 lead. The Zips would get as close as three, but a decisive kill by junior middle hitter Megan Griffin handed Miami the second set, 25-21. Miami served up six aces in the second set.
Akron held a 10-7 lead early in the third set. Two kills by sophomore middle hitter Michele Metzler along with a Hanks kill evened the score, 10-10. The teams went back and forth and were tied at 11-11, 12-12, 13-13 and 14-14 before Miami took the lead for good off a Griffin kill. With the score standing at 21-18, Miami rattled off the final four points of the set to take the match with a 25-18 set-three win.
Akron (11-15; 5-10 MAC) was led by Liz Martin with eight kills and Jennifer Stewart with 15 digs.
Leahy paced the RedHawks with 10 kills, while Griffin and Metzler each had nine kills and Hanks chipped in eight kills and seven blocks. Atteberry tallied 38 assists in the winning effort.
With her 15 digs against the Zips, Zenz moved into second place on Miami's career list with 1,368. Zenz, who also amassed 627 her freshman year at Cincinnati, is five digs away from attaining her 2,000th career dig between her stints at Miami and Cincinnati.
The RedHawks will honor their three seniors--senior outside hitter/middle hitter Emily Schroeder, senior libero Melissa Zenz and senior middle hitter Catherine Wolfe--prior to Saturday's match.
