OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University volleyball team increased its win streak to five on Friday with a solid, 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 32-30) victory over Ball State. The RedHawks improve to 14-8 overall and 7-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The Cardinals fall to 12-10 overall and 6-3 in the MAC.
Strong play from the middles was a big key in leading Miami to the victory on Friday. Sophomore middle hitter Paige Hill led the RedHawks with 12 kills. She made only two errors in 18 attempts for a .556 attacking percentage. Redshirt junior middle hitter Jenny Ingle was right behind her with eight kills. She had only one error in 10 attempts for an impressive .700 attacking percentage.
Kills from Hill, Ingle, senior setter/right side hitter Meg Riley and freshman outside hitter Olivia Rusek helped lead Miami to a 10-8 lead in set one. Ball State rallied to tie the score at 10, but a kill by Riley and an ace from Rusek were part of three straight points for MU that put it back in front. Leading 17-16, the RedHawks scored five straight to take a six-point lead. Hill had two kills during that run. Miami eventually got set point at 24-19, but the Cardinals answered with four straight points to pull within one. Ingle finished off the 25-23 victory for Miami with an emphatic kill off a perfect assist from sophomore setter Krista Brakauskas.
Tied at eight in set two, kills from Rusek and Riley were part of a 3-0 run that gave Miami an 11-8 advantage. BSU answered with a 6-1 run of its own to take a 14-12 lead. Trailing 16-18, a kill by junior outside hitter Annie Reiswig, followed by two straight service aces from Reiswig made it 19-18 and forced the Cardinals to use a timeout. Miami scored next out of the break, but Ball State responded with three straight to take a 21-20 lead. A kill from senior right side hitter Sarah Chaney started a 5-0 run that would give the RedHawks a 25-21 win.
With the score tied at five in set three, Ball State went on a 12-5 run and looked to be in control with a 17-10 lead. Ingle put down a kill off a Brakauskas assist to stop the bleeding, and Riley answered with a service ace. Back-to-back kills from Ingle and Riley, followed by a Cardinal attack error made it a two-point deficit at 15-17. Ball State followed with a 4-2 run to go back in front by four at 21-17. The RedHawks were not dead yet as two kills from Hill and a nice point saving dig from sophomore Maris Below, followed by the kill on the same point, were part of a 6-2 run that tied the score at 23. Ball State scored next to create set point, but a service error retied the score.
A service ace by Riley gave Miami its first chance to win the match, but the Cardinals answered with the kill. BSU received the next three opportunities to win the set, but each time the ‘Hawks answered to retie the score. With the score knotted at 28, a kill from Rusek gave Miami its second opportunity to win. The Cardinals fought it off with two straight points to go in front, 30-29. A service error tied the score at 30, and a kill from Reisiwig gave the ‘Hawks match point again. This time Rusek recorded the service ace to finish off a marathon 32-30 victory and give Miami a straight-set win.
Chaney finished with eight kills and a .538 attacking percentage. Rusek, Riley and Reiswig each had five. Brakauskas led Miami with 20 assists, while freshman libero Maeve McDonald recorded 16 digs. The RedHawks hit .255 as a team.
Miami continues its homestand next Friday when it hosts Buffalo at 7 p.m.
