Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
RedHawks Down Islanders in Four Sets
9/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 18, 2009
NACOGDOCHES, Texas--In its first match at the Ladyjack Invitational, Miami University's volleyball team won three-straight sets to pick up the four-set win (19-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-19) against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (5-7) on Friday afternoon.
Miami (4-6) led 12-7 in the first set and was up 14-11 before the Islanders staged a 4-1 run to knot the game, 15-15. The RedHawks took an 18-17 lead, but Texas A&M-Corpus Christi finished the set on a 8-1 surge to pull out the 25-19 win.
In the second set, Miami built a quick 8-3 lead, spurred by a pair of senior Hallie Hanks kills. The Islanders chiseled away at the RedHawk lead and tied the game, 13-13. Miami pulled out to a 20-16 lead with help from a block by junior Michele Metzler and sophomore Amy Raseman and a kill each by the duo. Again, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi came back, evening the score at 22-22. A pair of kills by senior Megan Griffin and an Islander attack error clinched the set for the RedHawks, 25-23.
Miami used a 4-0 run early in the third set to take a 7-3 lead and never looked back. Metzler had a hand in three points during the early flurry, collecting a kill and also teaming up with freshman Amy Kendall and then with senior Maria Leahy on blocks. Miami led by as many as 10 points at 22-12 and rolled to the 25-17 win.
The early part of the fourth set was nip and tuck until the RedHawks used a 4-0 run to post a 12-9 advantage and a lead they would not relinquish. Sophomore Cassie Farrell tallied two kills for the Red and White during the surge. The Islanders closed to within one at 18-17, but the RedHawks dominated down the stretch outscoring the Islanders 7-2 to win the match with a 25-19 set four win.
Metzler paced the RedHawks with 13 kills, six blocks and a sizzling .545 hitting percentage. Hanks added 11 kills, while Leahy tallied 10 kills, 11 digs and two service aces. Freshman Lisa Treadway added a team-high 17 digs in the winning effort.
Miami returns to action with two matches on Saturday at the Ladyjack Invitational. The RedHawks face Houston at 11 a.m. (ET) and host Stephen F. Austin at 8 p.m. (ET) to round out their stint at the tournament.
