Nov. 6, 2010
Final Stats
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Miami volleyball team fought hard in its attempt to comeback from a two set deficit, but it was not enough as the RedHawks fell to Western Michigan on Saturday evening by a 1-3 (19-25, 19-25, 25-23, 24-26) score. Miami falls to 10-17 overall and 5-9 in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos improve to 20-8 overall and 10-4 in the MAC.
Four kills from Michele Metzler helped the RedHawks keep set one even early on. Miami overcame an early 6-10 deficit to tie the score at 15 on a Cassie Farrell kill. Tied at 17, WMU went on a 7-1 run to take a 24-18 advantage. Amy Raseman scored the next point on a kill off of Amy Kendall's assist, but the Broncos would answer to earn a 25-19 victory.
Trailing 6-9 in set two, Miami would take the lead at 11-9 by scoring the next five points. During that run, Farrell had a kill and two solo blocks. Western Michigan would answer with the next seven points to take the lead back at 16-11. It was even from there, and despite two more Farrell kills, the Broncos would go on to win 25-19.
Miami jumped to an 11-7 lead in set three. WMU would close to within one by scoring the next three points, but kills by Metzler, Kendall and Lisa Treadway sparked a 7-3 run that gave the RedHawks an 18-13 advantage. The Broncos would make things interesting by answering with a 10-4 run of their own to take the lead back at 23-22. On the next point, Madison Dodd put down a Michelle Mangia set ball to retie the score at 23. A setting error by Western Michigan and a kill from Colleen Loftus would then give Miami a 25-23 win.
Metzler put down three kills to help Miami take an early 4-2 lead in set four. The Broncos would answer with an 8-2 run to take a 10-6 advantage. WMU would hold that lead for the majority of the set. Trailing 16-21 however, the RedHawks began to make their move. Two kills from Raseman, along with kills by Dodd, Treadway and Madison Hardy were part of a 6-0 run that gave Miami the lead at 22-21. After WMU scored two straight points, Metzler retied the score at 23 with a kill off of a Kendall set ball. The Broncos would score next but Loftus put down the kill to fight off the match point. The comeback was not to be completed though, as Western Michigan scored the next two points to earn a 26-24 win.
Metzler had 13 kills to lead the RedHawks and hit .480 for the match. Kendall had a double-double with 36 assists and 11 digs. Treadway led Miami with 24 digs, while Raseman had 12 kills. Farrell finished with eight kills and four blocks, three of which were solo.
With one final weekend of action before the MAC Tournament, the RedHawks will conclude the regular season portion of the conference season on the road. Miami will travel to Athens on Friday for a showdown with rival Ohio at 7 p.m. The RedHawks will then travel to Kent State on Saturday for a 7 p.m. match with the Golden Flashes.
