Miami University
DePaul
RedHawks Down DePaul, 3-1
9/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 17, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio--Miami University's volleyball team opened the Miami Best Western/Sycamore Inn Invitational with a four-set win over DePaul on Friday evening at Millett Hall, 25-18, 21-25, 25-17, 25-19. The RedHawks move to 5-6 on the season, while the Blue Demons dropped to 1-9
After a 9-9 tie in the first set, Miami went on a 9-2 run--spurred by four sophomore outside hitter Christina Menche kills and a pair of blocks by Menche and junior outside hitter Colleen Loftus--to capture an 18-11 advantage. DePaul was able to close within five points, 22-17, but a kill and a service ace by junior outside hitter Jenn Caylor helped put Miami at set point, 24-18, while a junior outside hitter Amy Raseman kill clinched the set for the RedHawks, 25-18.
Miami trailed from the onset of the second set, managing to knot the set twice at 4-4 and 5-5, but was unable to overtake the Blue Demons. DePaul pushed its lead to 17-12, but Miami went on a 4-1 run, with help from two Caylor kills, to pull within two points, 16-18. The Blue Demons rattled off four unanswered points to force a Miami timeout with DePaul leading 22-16. A senior middle hitter Michele Metzler kill, along with a Loftus block and a DePaul attack error, pulled the RedHawks within three points, 22-19. Miami mustered one more point, but the Blue Demons took the second set off an Allyson Rooks kill, 25-20.
Three kills from Metzler helped Miami burst out of the gates in the third game, capturing an early 10-6 advantage. Five unanswered points escalated the RedHawk lead to eight, 19-11. Miami held a 10-point lead and had set point, but a kill and two Blue Demon service aces stalled the Miami win until Caylor put down a kill off the face of a DePaul player to hand the RedHawks the third set, 25-17.
Miami pulled out to a 5-2 lead early in the fourth set. DePaul knotted the set, 6-6, but three straight RedHawk points forced the Blue Demons to call timeout. DePaul closed within one, 9-8, but Miami rattled off five straight points to extend its lead to six, 14-8. The Blue Demons got as close as three points down the stretch, 17-20, but Miami rallied for a 25-19 win in the fourth set to seize the match.
Four RedHawks were in double figures for kills led by Metzler's 16 and Caylor's career-high 15 and followed by Raseman and Menche with 10 apiece. It was also a career-high for Menche. Sophomore libero Lisa Treadway led all players with 18 digs, while Kendall tallied four service aces.
Kate Letcher led the Blue Demons with 11 kills, while Chelsea Thurlby tallied 15 digs.
Miami returns to action on Saturday, facing Illinois State at 10:30 a.m. and then concluding the tournament against Indiana at 7:30 p.m.
