Nov. 12, 2011
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
2011 MAC Volleyball Tournament Bracket 
OXFORD, Ohio - In a match that saw a total of 41 ties and 17 lead changes, the Miami University volleyball team earned a dramatic, 3-2 (25-27, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 15-11), victory over Western Michigan on Senior Day Saturday. Senior Cassie Farrell recorded a career-high 22 kills, to go with six blocks to lead the RedHawks. Miami improves to 16-14 overall with its fourth straight victory, and finishes 7-9 in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos fall to 23-7 overall and 12-4 in the MAC.
With the win, the RedHawks have secured the seventh seed in the upcoming MAC Tournament. They will take on the second seed Ohio on Friday at 7 p.m. at the tournament's new home, the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The Bobcats earned the second seed with a 13-3 record, after Miami's win over WMU dropped the Broncos to 12-4.
Set one featured an impressive 14 ties and seven lead changes. The Broncos opened things up with a 4-1 run. Kills from Amy Raseman, Chelsea Visk, Meg Riley and Madison Dodd helped tie the score at six. The teams went back and forth until WMU established a 16-14 lead. Two kills from Farrell, along with two kills from Jenn Caylor would lead the RedHawks back to a tie at 21. A kill from Riley off of Amy Kendall's assist and a service ace by Caylor would give Miami a 23-21 advantage and force a Bronco timeout. Out of the break, Western Michigan scored three straight points to create set point at 24-23 and force the RedHawks to call for timeout. Miami fought off two set points with kills from Riley and Farrell, but WMU would finally score two in a row to earn a 27-25 win.
A special moment began set two. Senior Colleen Loftus, who has missed the entire season with a knee injury, got the chance to serve to begin the set. She got the serve over and received a standing ovation as she was subbed out after WMU scored the point. The Broncos would push that advantage to 4-0 before Miami began a comeback. Three kills from Caylor were part of a 7-1 run that put the Red and White in front, 7-5. Western responded with a 7-3 run of its own to regain the lead at 12-10. Visk had back-to-back blocks, as Miami fought right back to build an 18-14 advantage. The Broncos scored the next three points, but kills from Farrell, Visk and Caylor put the RedHawks back in control at 22-19. An attack error by WMU and a service ace for Riley would create set point. Two points later, a Bronco attack error gave Miami a 25-21 win.
Tied at six in the third set, WMU went on a 9-5 run to establish a four-point lead that it would not relinquish. Twice after Farrell kills, Miami would get as close as one point, but the Broncos had an answer each time. Leading 21-19 after Farrell got the RedHawks closer with yet another kill, WMU went on a 4-1 run to close out a 25-20 victory.
Things looked bleak for Miami early in set four, as it fell behind, 4-8. Farrell and Visk led the charge back with two kills apiece as a 7-3 run would tie the score at 11. The teams would continue to trade points, as the RedHawks struggled to retake the lead. Finally, trailing 18-19, Miami scored two points in a row off of Bronco attack errors to take a 20-19 advantage. That did not last long, as WMU scored three straight to go in front, 22-20. An attack error by the Broncos, followed by a block by Farrell and Caylor would tie the score at 22. After Western scored the next point, Caylor recorded a kill off of Riley's assist and the Broncos had another attack error to give the Red and White set point at 24-23. WMU called timeout to talk it over, but it didn't matter, Caylor scored the next kill, this time off of Kendall's assist to give Miami a 25-23 come-from-behind win and send the match to a fifth set.
The RedHawks would need to come-from-behind again in set five as they fell behind, 2-6. A kill by Riley, followed by two kills and a block from Farrell would tie the score at six and force the Broncos to call timeout. Out of the break, Miami continued on the attack, going on a 3-1 run to take a 10-7 lead and force another WMU timeout. Out of that break, a block by Visk and Lisa Treadway, followed by a service ace from Madison Hardy gave the RedHawks a 12-7 lead. WMU did not give up as it answered with three straight points to pull within two at 10-12. Kills by Riley and Raseman would give Miami match point at 14-10. The Broncos fought it off once, but Visk would give the RedHawks a 15-11 win with a final kill.
While recording her career-high 22 kills, Farrell hit a team-high .528 for the match. Other top attackers included seniors Raseman and Caylor, who each had 14 kills, while Visk had a career-high 11. Visk also had a career-high six blocks. Hardy led the defense with 26 digs, while Riley and Kendall shared the setting duties equally. Riley finished with 34 assists, while Kendall had 33. Miami hit .308 for the match and finished with 12 team blocks, compared to five for WMU.
