Sept. 6, 2009
Final Stats
INDIANAPOLIS - The Miami volleyball team had a much improved performance on Sunday. However, it fell to IUPUI 3-1 in the finale of the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational. The RedHawks are now 1-5 on the year, while the Jaguars improve to 6-1.
At the conclusion of the tournament, senior outside hitter Maria Leahy was named to the All-Tournament team. For the weekend she had 34 kills and 26 digs.
After falling behind 2-5 early in set one, two kills from Cassie Farrell along with one from Leahy helped pull Miami to within one at 6-7. An 8-4 run by IUPUI helped the Jaguars establish a five-point lead that the RedHawks were unable to break into. Trailing 16-24, Miami fought off two set points, but IUPUI was eventually able to take the first set, 25-18.
Miami fell behind again in set two, this time trailing 1-6. A block from Jenn Caylor and Amy Kendall, followed by kills from both Farrell and Amy Raseman sparked a 7-4 run that pulled the RedHawks to within two at 8-10. After a point by the Jaguars, Caylor scored a kill, Kendall recorded a service ace and Megan Griffin and Michele Metzler teamed up on a block to tie the score at 11. With the score tied at 13, Miami went on a 7-0 run that featured two kills from Farrell and a service ace by Lisa Treadway. A 9-4 run by IUPUI made the score 22-24, but Leahy followed that with a set winning kill off a Kendall assist.
With the score tied at eight in set three, Leahy and Metzler combined for five total kills in a 7-3 run that put the RedHawks up 15-11. IUPUI did not give in and eventually fought back to tie the score at 18. A combined block by Farrell and Leahy, a Jaguar attack error and a kill from Leahy gave Miami a 21-18 lead. However, it would be the last point the RedHawks would score in the set as IUPUI took set three, 25-21, on the strength of a 7-0 run.
While the Jaguars scored the first four points of set four, Miami scored nine of the next 13 to take a 9-8 lead. It was back and forth throughout the middle of the set as the teams traded the lead six times until the score was tied at 17. From there IUPUI was able to close out the set and the match with an 8-2 run to win 25-19.
Leahy led the RedHawks with 14 kills. Farrell contributed a career-high 10 kills. Treadway tied a career high with 23 digs and Kendall had a career-high 34 assists. The team recorded a season-high 12 blocks, with Metzler contributing to seven of them.
Miami returns home next weekend for the annual Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational. Joining the RedHawks this year will be Troy, Pacific and St. John's. The action begins on Friday, Sept. 11, when Troy takes on Pacific at 5 p.m., followed by the RedHawks against St. John's at 7 p.m. All games will take place at Millett Hall.
