Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
Penn State
Volleyball Fights Valiantly Against Defending National Champs
9/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 2, 2011
PITTSBURGH - Taking on the four-time defending national champions is always a challenge, but the RedHawk volleyball team fought valiantly against second-ranked Penn State Friday before falling, 0-3 (20-25, 18-25, 21-25) in the opener of the University of Pittsburgh Invitational. Miami drops to 4-1 on the season, while the Nittany Lions improve to 2-1.
The RedHawks came out on the attack in set one, as kills by Meg Riley and Lisa Treadway, along with two Penn State attack error, put Miami in front, 4-1. Kills from Jenn Caylor and Amy Raseman helped the Red and White maintain the lead at 7-4. The Nittany Lions would go on a 6-2 run to take the advantage back 10-9, but several attack errors would allow the RedHawks to hold the lead one last time at 12-11. Penn State would score the next five points to take control of the set, but Miami would not give up. Raseman recorded two kills and teamed up on a block with Cassie Farrell to pull Miami as close as two points with at 19-21. The Nittany Lions would be forced to call timeout and after the break closed out a 25-20 win by finishing on a 4-1 run.
Penn State took a 7-2 lead to begin the second set. The Lions would expand the lead to as many as seven points at 12-5 before the RedHawks would once again make a run at the national champs. Miami scored the next three points off a Chelsea Visk kill, a block by Farrell and Raseman and a service ace by Madison Hardy. Two kills by Farrell, along with one from Christina Menche would help the RedHawks pull within two at 13-15. The teams traded points until it was 19-17 in favor of Penn State. From there the Nittany Lions went on a 6-1 run to earn a 25-18 victory.
An attack error by Penn State, a service ace from Amy Kendall and a kill from Caylor put Miami in front, 3-0, to begin set three. After a Lion kill, another block from Raseman and Kendall and a service error gave the RedHawks a 5-1 advantage. Penn State would control the majority of the middle of the set, going on a 19-8 run to take a 20-13 lead. But once again, Miami would answer. A kill by Farrell, a Nittany Lion attack error and a block by Farrell and Caylor made it 16-20. Trailing 18-22, Kendall put down a service ace to pull within three. The teams traded points until Penn State had match point at 24-20. Lisa Treadway responded for the RedHawks with a kill off of a Kendall assist. However, the comeback was not meant to be as the Nittany Lions recorded the next point to take a 25-21 victory.
Caylor led the Miami attack with nine kills. Hardy was the defensive leader with nine digs. Farrell and Raseman recorded five block assists each, as the RedHawks recorded more total team blocks than Penn State, 6.5-6. Kendall led Miami with 13 assists, while Riley contributed 10.
The RedHawks continue play at the University of Pittsburgh Invitational Friday when they take on New Hampshire at 5 p.m.
