Oct. 21, 2011
Final Stats
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Miami University volleyball team made a wild comeback in the first set and nearly made successful comebacks in each of the next two sets, but ultimately fell victim to a fourth set comeback by Ball State in a 1-3 (25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 23-25) defeat to the Mid-American Conference West Division leader on Friday. The RedHawks fall to 12-11 overall and 3-6 in the MAC. The Cardinals improve to 19-3 overall and 8-1 in the MAC.
The first set did not start out well for Miami, as it quickly found itself calling timeout down, 1-6. After the break Christina Menche and Jenn Caylor recorded back-to-back kills, but a 9-3 run by Ball State would put the Cardinals in front, 15-6, before the RedHawks began their comeback. Two kills each by Amy Raseman and Menche were part of an 8-3 run that pulled the RedHawks to within four at 14-18. Miami would then score the next six points in a row to take a 20-18 lead. Highlights from that run were two kills from Cassie Farrell and a block by Farrell and Meg Riley. After a Ball State kill, a block by Farrell and Caylor and a kill by Farrell made it 22-19. Trailing 20-23, the Cardinals scored three points in a row to tie the score at 23. The RedHawks did not give in however; as Menche would score back-to-back kills, the last off an assist from Riley to earn a 25-23 win.
Set two started off similar to the first set as Miami fell behind, 9-16. Once again, the RedHawks would begin a comeback. A block by Farrell and Caylor, and a service ace by Amy Kendall were part of a 4-1 run that pulled them to within four at 13-17. Trailing 14-18, a Cardinal attack error and a kill from Lisa Treadway would make it a two-point contest. Ball State would score two in a row, but once again Miami fought back with a kill from Menche and a service ace from Riley to make it 18-20. That would be as close as the RedHawks would get, as the Cardinals scored the next three points and eventually took the set by a 25-20 score.
Three kills by Caylor helped Miami keep the score tied at eight early in set three. An 8-2 run by Ball State would put the Cardinals up six at 16-10. Trailing 11-17, the RedHawks would score the next six points to tie the score at 17. During the run, Riley and Farrell each had kills and teamed up for a block. After falling behind again at 18-20, two kills from Raseman would put Miami back in the set at 21-22. The Cardinals would answer with two straight kills to create set point. The RedHawks fought it off once on a kill by Caylor off a Riley assist, but Ball State would score the next point to earn the 25-22 victory.
Set four was a completely different story as Miami jumped to a 7-1 lead. During the run, Caylor recorded three consecutive service aces. The Cardinals would fight back to eventually tie the set at 13. Menche would record two more kills as the teams traded points until the score was tied at 16. Ball State would answer by scoring the next three to take a 19-16 lead and force a Miami timeout. The RedHawks responded with four straight points of their own to take a 20-19 advantage. Tied at 20, a kill by Farrell off a Kendall assist, and a block by Caylor and Farrell gave Miami a 22-20 lead. After the Cardinals scored the next point, Farrell put down another kill to make it 23-21. Unfortunately for the RedHawks, that would be the last time they would score a point, as Ball State completed the comeback with four straight of its own to earn a 25-23 win.
Miami was led offensively by Caylor, Raseman and Menche, who each had 10 kills. Farrell and nine kills and assisted on six blocks. Madison Hardy led the RedHawks with 20 digs, while Kendall had 26 assists.
Miami completes its road trip on Saturday when it travels to Toledo for a 3 p.m. match.
