Oct. 16, 2009
Final Stats
PHOTO GALLERY
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami volleyball team earned a thrilling five-set victory (17-25, 25-19, 25-14, 21-25, 15-13) over the visiting Central Michigan Chippewas Friday night at Millett Hall. The RedHawks improve to 10-9 overall and 5-2 in the Mid-American Conference. CMU falls to 10-7 overall and 3-4 in the MAC.
Central Michigan took any early 8-3 lead on the RedHawks thanks to a couple of service aces and ball handling errors by Miami. Kills from Andrea Atteberry, Michele Metzler and Hallie Hanks pulled the RedHawks to within three at 7-10, but an 8-3 run by the Chippewas pushed the lead back to seven. That proved to be enough as CMU took the first set 25-17.
Tied at 15 in the second set, a kill from Metzler off an Atteberry assist, a block from Megan Griffin and Cassie Farrell and a setting error by the Chippewas gave Miami a three-point advantage. A kill from Farrell and a service ace by Griffin pushed the lead to 22-17. With the score 23-19, Miami earned a 25-19 victory off a kill from Leahy and a CMU attack error.
Three kills from Hanks helped the RedHawks take a 9-4 lead in set three. Miami kept up the pressure, eventually extending the lead to 18-8. Central Michigan scored the next three points to pull within seven, but the RedHawks quickly finished off a 25-14 victory by finishing the set on a 7-3 run.
Set four was back-and-forth early on, but the key stretch came with the score tied at 13. CMU scored the next four points to take the advantage and Miami was never quite able to cut into it. The RedHawks got as close as two points at 20-22 off a block by Metzler and Jenn Caylor, but a 3-1 run by the Chippewas gave them the 25-21 win.
Things looked bleak early on in the fifth and decisive set for Miami as Central Michigan jumped to an 8-5 lead. A service error by the Chippewas and a kill by Leahy pulled the RedHawks to within one at 7-8. The teams traded points until Miami found itself down, 10-12. A kill from Hanks and a service ace from Metzler evened the score at 12. The RedHawks continued the run as Griffin recorded a kill off an assist from Atteberry and then teamed up with Farrell on the block to go up 14-12. CMU scored the next point, but Griffin finished the match in favor of Miami with a kill to give it the 15-13 win.
Leahy led the way with a double-double with 14 kills and 16 digs. Hanks recorded 12 kills, while Metzler had 10. Lisa Treadway had 13 digs, while Atteberry and Caylor each had 12. Atteberry led the RedHawks with 41 assists.
Miami returns to action on Saturday against Eastern Michigan at 5 p.m. in Millett Hall.
