Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
University of Wisconsin
Miami Upsets 10th-Ranked Wisconsin at UNLV Tournament
9/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 6, 2008
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Miami University volleyball team continued its winning streak Saturday as it upset 10th-ranked Wisconsin 3-1 in its second game at the UNLV Tournament. Miami is now 3-2 on the season, while the Badgers fall to 4-1.
"(Wisconsin head coach) Pete Waite's teams are always well prepared," said head coach Carolyn Condit. "It was a battle, but our team's good decision making and aggressive attacking at the right moment enabled us to win in four games."
The tone was set early in the first set for the RedHawks. After falling behind 4-2, three straight kills by Hallie Hanks, Maria Leahy and Megan Griffin gave Miami its first lead. The run continued after an attack error by Wisconsin followed by a service error by Emily Schroeder. With the score 10-7, the RedHawks went on a 7-0 run with Griffin serving. She scored an ace, Schroeder recorded two kills, and the team forced the Badgers into four attack errors to give Miami a 17-7 lead. That lead proved to be more than enough as the teams traded points and the RedHawks came away with a 25-13 set win.
The momentum continued for Miami right into the second set as they jumped to a 7-0 lead, the biggest start in a set this season. Andrea Atteberry was serving, and she was helped by three kills from Hanks and two by Michelle Metzler. Wisconsin called timeout to regroup, and then went on a long 20-6 run to take a 20-13 lead. However, the RedHawks were able to get the ball back off a Schroeder kill, and Atteberry went back to work off her serve. The team scored the next four points to pull within three at 20-17. They traded points back and forth from there until it was 23-19 Wisconsin. With Melissa Zenz serving, Miami forced the Badgers into three attack errors, followed by a kill from Leahy to tie the score at 23. Another kill from Leahy gave the RedHawks their first lead since it had been 11-10, and then an attack error by Wisconsin gave them the set 25-23.
Wisconsin was able to get on the board with a 25-21 victory in set three. They pulled ahead early 13-5, before a run by Miami featuring kills from Hanks and Metzler pulled them to within three at 13-10. A 7-1 run then put Wisconsin up 20-11. The RedHawks had one last push in them as Schroeder, Hanks, Leahy and Zenz each scored kills to get Miami to as close as 24-21, but the Badgers' Cathy DuPont scored the set winning kill to send the match to a fourth set.
The fourth set ended up being a classic back-and-forth affair. The teams traded two and three point leads early on until it was tied at 12. Wisconsin was able to build the edge back to two at 16-14, but a kill from Hanks and an attack error tied the score right back up. The Badgers then went on a 4-2 run to give them a 20-18 lead, and the teams traded points until it was 23-20. Metzler scored a kill to pull the RedHawks to within two and an attack error made it 23-22. Afterwards Katherine Dykstra scored a kill to give Wisconsin set point at 24-22. Miami would not give in, and fought off two set points to tie the score at 24.
After an attack error by the RedHawks gave the Badgers yet another set point, Leahy scored another kill to tie the score at 25. An attack error by Wisconsin gave Miami their first set point at 26-25, but the Badgers were able to kill that off. With the score 27-27, Griffin then scored a kill to give the RedHawks their third match point at 28-27. Griffin then scored another kill to give Miami the set 29-27 and the upset victory.
For the game, Leahy scored a career high 15 kills. Hanks was only one off her career high with 16 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Atteberry recorded 53 assists and also led the team in digs with 14. Miami had a team hitting percentage of .279, compared to only .141 for Wisconsin.
The RedHawks conclude play at the UNLV Tournament when they face the host Rebels at 10:00 p.m. (EST) later Saturday evening.
