Miami University
Akron
Volleyball Earns Dramatic Five-Set Victory Over Akron
11/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 4, 2011
AKRON, Ohio - A back-and-forth match saw the Miami University volleyball team win the first two sets, drop the next two and then fall behind by four points in the fifth set, before coming back to earn a 3-2 (25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 15-13) victory over Akron Friday night. Madison Dodd led five players who had double-digit kills with a career-high 15, while Amy Kendall had a double-double of 13 digs and a career-high 55 assists. The RedHawks improve to 13-14 overall and 4-9 in the Mid-American Conference. The Zips fall to 4-22 overall and 1-12 in the MAC.
The Red and White came out swinging in set one. Cassie Farrell, Amy Raseman, Lisa Treadway and Dodd each had kills, and a block by Farrell and Kendall made it 9-5 in favor of Miami and forced an Akron timeout. With the score 14-11, two more kills from Farrell were part of a 5-0 run that put the Red and White in control at 19-11. The Zips would answer with a 7-2 run to get within three at 18-21, but a kill from Raseman off of Kendall's assist and a block by Dodd and Chelsea Visk would get the RedHawks back on track. Miami eventually earned a 25-19 win off two straight Akron attack errors.
Two kills apiece from Jenn Caylor, Christina Menche and Farrell would help the RedHawks build a 10-6 advantage in set two. The Zips would keep it close throughout the set, but would never be able to pull in front. Five times they would make it a one-point match, but each time Miami would answer with the point. In front, 22-21, a kill from Dodd and an Akron attack error would give the RedHawks set point. After a service error, Miami got the 25-22 victory on a Dodd kill off a Kendall assist.
Set three would prove to be the opposite of set two as Akron would build a small lead that the RedHawks would struggle to overcome. Trailing 15-17, however, Miami would be able to come-from-behind. Kills from Menche and Dodd, along with a block by Menche and Raseman were part of a 4-0 run that gave the Red and White the lead at 19-17. Akron answered with two straight points, but Dodd put Miami back in front at 20-19 with another kill. The RedHawks went cold from there as the Zips would end the set on a 6-0 run, winning 25-20.
Set four did not start out well for Miami as it fell behind, 1-5. The RedHawks responded with an 8-2 run to go in front, 9-7. Tied at 13, a 5-1 run by Akron would put it in control at 19-14 and force a Miami timeout. After the break, the Zips would continue with a 5-2 run that created set point at 24-16. Dodd and Kendall would score kills and Akron would have an attack error as the RedHawks battled back, but the Zips put down the next point to even the match with a 25-19 victory.
Despite kills from Menche and Raseman, Miami fell behind 4-6 early in the fifth and final set. Akron would follow with a 3-1 run to open its largest lead at 9-5 before the Red and White began their comeback. Menche and Raseman again had kills as a 5-1 run would tie the score at 10. The Zips responded by scoring the next two points to take a 12-10 lead and force a Miami timeout. The RedHawks did not give up as a kill from Dodd and a block by Raseman and Farrell would retie the score at 12. After the Zips recorded a kill, Raseman and Dodd each put down kills off of Kendall assists to give Miami the lead and set point at 14-13. Akron called timeout to strategize the next point, but it didn't matter, after a long rally, Raseman put down a final kill to give the RedHawks a 15-13 win and the match, three sets to two.
In addition to Dodd's 15 kills, Farrell had 11, while Raseman, Menche and Caylor each had 10. Madison Hardy led Miami with 22 digs. Farrell set a new career-high with seven block assists for the RedHawks, who hit .273 for the match.
Miami will compete in its final MAC road match of the regular season on Saturday when it travels to Buffalo for a 6 p.m. contest.
