Miami University
Toledo
Miami Falls in Five-Set Heartbreaker to Toledo
10/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 22, 2011
TOLEDO, Ohio - The Miami University volleyball team captured the first two sets Saturday against Toledo, but a dramatic third set that saw the RedHawks have seven opportunities to win and the Rockets have five, eventually went Toledo's way and began its comeback. Miami would eventually drop the match, 2-3 (25-17, 25-20, 35-37, 16-25, 7-15). Madison Dodd had her first career double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs. Amy Kendall also had a double-double with 43 assists and 12 digs. The RedHawks fall to 12-12 overall and 3-7 in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo is 8-14 overall and 3-7 in the MAC.
The teams traded the first 14 points of set one. Tied at seven, two kills and two blocks from Christina Menche were part of a 7-0 run that put Miami in control. Toledo would respond with a 6-2 run that pulled it to within two at 13-15, but two kills by Amy Raseman along with kills from Cassie Farrell and Menche would help expand the lead back to seven at 22-15. Kendall would eventually put down the winning kill as the RedHawks took the first set, 25-17.
A kill by Raseman and a block from Raseman and Menche helped Miami jump to a 4-1 advantage in set two. Dodd put down two kills, while Jenn Caylor had a service ace as the RedHawks went in front, 11-6. The Rockets would eventually tie the score at 16, however. Lisa Treadway responded with a kill off of a Kendall assist that started a 5-1 run that made it 21-16, Miami. Toledo did not give up as it scored the next four points to pull within one and force a RedHawk timeout. Out of the break, a kill and two straight blocks from Farrell, along with a service ace by Caylor would give Miami a 25-20 win.
Set three would turn into the longest set the RedHawks had played since the change to 25-point sets in 2008. Dodd and Caylor each had two kills as Miami built its largest lead of the set at 14-9. The Rockets fought back, eventually tying the score at 17. From there, the lead would never be more than one point either way. Toledo had the first set point at 24-23, but the RedHawks fought it off with a block by Farrell and Raseman. Miami would have to fight off another one before a kill by Treadway would give the Red and White their first opportunity to win the set. The Rockets would fight that one off as well as four more before taking the lead once again at 31-30. This time kills from Raseman and Dodd would keep Miami from dropping the set. The RedHawks would get two more opportunities to win the set off Toledo attack errors, but trailing 34-35, the Rockets scored three straight points to earn a hard-fought, 37-35 win.
Tied at four in set four, Toledo went on a 12-8 run to take a 16-12 lead. Dodd would record three more kills as the RedHawks would pull to within two at 16-18. The Rockets would answer by scoring the next seven points in a row to take a 25-16 win and force the match into a decisive fifth set.
Toledo scored 10 of the first 12 points in the deciding fifth set to take a commanding lead. Farrell would record a kill, but the Rockets would eventually create match point at 14-5. Miami forced Toledo into two straight attack errors, but it followed up with the winning kill to take the set, 15-7, and the match, 3-2.
In addition to Dodd's 13 kills, which were a career-high, Raseman also had 13 kills. Menche had a career-high eight blocks (one solo and seven assisted). Madison Hardy led the RedHawks with 17 digs.
Due to homecoming next weekend, Miami's two home contests will be on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the RedHawks will host Kent State at 7 p.m. Miami will then take on Ohio Sunday at 3 p.m. Both games will be available over the web via for those with a subscription to Miami All-Access.
