Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
IPFW
Griffin Records Career High 18 Kills in 3-1 Victory Over IPFW
11/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 28, 2008
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Megan Griffin's career high 18 kills helped lead Miami University to a 3-1 victory (25-20, 25-16, 24-26, 25-21) over IPFW Friday night in the first game of the Holiday Inn West Bronco Thanksgiving Classic. The RedHawks improve to 20-11 on the season, while the Mastodons fall to 16-15.
Griffin had 18 kills in 33 total attacks with zero errors for a hitting percentage of .545. That upped her season hitting percentage to .358, which would be a new single season record at Miami, beating Wendy Tepe's .357 set in 1985.
In the other record watch for this weekend, Melissa Zenz recorded 16 digs against IPFW, giving her 1,446 total digs at Miami. She needs 22 more digs to pass Stephanie Otten's career record of 1,467.
After falling behind early in set one, 2-4, a 15-6 run by Miami helped the RedHawks take control. Griffin and Maria Leahy each recorded two kills during that run. IPFW was able to get as close as 20-23, but a service error, followed by the RedHawks forcing the Mastodons into an attack error gave Miami the win, 25-20.
Miami fell behind again in set two, this time 0-4. However, the RedHawks quickly regained the advantage with an 8-0 run that featured a service ace from Zenz, two more kills from Griffin and a block by Emily Schroeder and Hallie Hanks. Schroeder, Griffin and Jenn Caylor each continued the attack with kills set up by assists from Andrea Atteberry, as Miami increased its lead to 16-6. A 10-5 run by IPFW pulled the Mastodons to within five at 16-21, but the RedHawks finished it off with four straight points off a kill from Griffin, an IPFW attack error, a block from Griffin and Caylor and a kill from Schroeder.
The Mastodons came back with a 26-24 victory in set three. The RedHawks battled from behind the whole set and found themselves down 21-24 late. Miami scored three straight points to tie the set at 24 off a service error, a block from Schroeder and Griffin and a kill by Schroeder, but IPFW scored the next two points to take the set.
A slow start in set four found Miami trailing 4-10 before another Griffin kill sparked a 7-3 run that pulled it within two points at 11-13. After IPFW increased the lead back to four at 17-13, a 7-1 run led by three kills from Griffin gave the RedHawks a 20-18 lead. With the score 22-21 in favor of Miami, an attack error by the Mastodons, followed by a kill from Leahy gave the RedHawks match point. Miami proceeded to win the match by scoring off another IPFW attack error.
In addition to Griffin's 18 kills, Schroeder had 15 and Hanks recorded 10. Atteberry led the team with 48 assists, while Leahy had 17 digs. The RedHawks hit .227 for the match, compared to IPFW, which hit only .116.
Miami has one last chance to impress the NCAA selection committee when it concludes the regular season on Saturday at the Holiday Inn West Thanksgiving Classic against Marquette at 5:30 p.m.
