Miami University
Akron
Volleyball Completes Comeback Against Akron
10/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 29, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio - After dropping the first set, the Miami volleyball team rebounded to take the next three and earn a 3-1 (20-25, 27-25, 25-15, 25-17) victory over Akron Saturday night. The RedHawks improve to 9-15 overall and 4-7 in the Mid-American Conference. The Zips fall to 13-10 overall and 5-6 in the MAC.
Despite three kills early from Colleen Loftus, Miami fell behind in set one by a 7-10 score. Akron would maintain that lead throughout the set, and in front 23-20, would close out the win by scoring two final points. Miami only hit .091 during the frame.
Set two started out similarly for the RedHawks, as they fell behind 5-10. Michele Metzler helped close Miami to within two at 12-14 when she sparked a run with three kills. Akron would answer with a 9-6 run of its own that pushed the lead back to five at 23-18. After a service error, Cassie Farrell put down a kill off an Amy Kendall assist that pulled the RedHawks to within two and forced a Zip timeout. Following the break an Akron attack error and a setting error tied the set at 23. The teams would trade points until it was tied at 25. Miami would complete the comeback with kills by Madison Dodd and Lisa Treadway off Michelle Mangia assists to earn a 27-25 victory.
Tied at six in set three, Miami went on an 8-1 run that featured three blocks. Loftus had a hand in all three of the blocks, teaming up with Farrell for one and Metzler for the other two. Akron would get as close as five at 13-18, but kills from Farrell and Amy Raseman, along with yet another block-this time by Farrell and Jenn Caylor, helped push the advantage back to eight at 22-14. A kill by Dodd, an illegal substitution and a setting error by the Zips would eventually give the RedHawks the win by a 25-15 score. Miami recorded five total blocks in that set.
Miami fell behind, 1-6 to begin set four. Two kills by Raseman helped spark a 9-4 run that would tie the score at 10. From there the RedHawks took control as two kills from Metzler, along with a double block by Caylor and Metzler helped Miami go in front, 17-12. In front 22-15, Dodd would put down a kill and Treadway would follow with a service ace to give the RedHawks match point. Two points later, Loftus would put down the winning kill and give Miami a 25-17 win.
Metzler led a balanced RedHawk attack with 11 kills, while Loftus contributed nine kills and a team high 15 digs. Miami hit .234 for the match, helped by a .409 hitting percentage in set three and a .429 hitting percentage in set four. The RedHawks held Akron to a .141 hitting percentage for the match.
Miami returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Buffalo at 5 p.m. The match is the annual Dig Pink contest, where the RedHawks will help raise money in the fight against Breast Cancer.
