BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – At times it was a grind, but the Miami University volleyball team scored a solid 3-1 (18-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-20) victory over Bowling Green Thursday evening. The RedHawks improve to 9-6 overall and 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons fall to 3-12 overall and 0-3 in the MAC.
As a team Miami used their blocking game to win the match on Thursday. The Red and White finished with 12 total blocks, led by sophomore middle hitter Paige Hill who was in on eight of them (one solo and seven assisted). Senior setter/right side hitter Meg Riley also contributed to the block game, finishing with five block assists.
The RedHawks recorded three blocks early in set one, but were unable to create any separation from Bowling Green. Tied at 13, the difference in the set came when the Falcons went on a 9-3 run to take control at 22-16. Miami forced a pair of attack errors to pull within two, but three straight points by BGSU gave it a 25-18 win.
Despite kills from Hill, Riley and redshirt junior middle hitter Jenny Ingle, it did not look good in set two as the RedHawks fell behind, 9-13. With the score 11-15, a kill from sophomore middle hitter Maris Below and blocks by Hill and senior right side hitter Sarah Chaney and Hill and Below were part of six straight points for Miami. A service ace from freshman libero Maeve McDonald punctuated the run and made it 17-15. Kills by Chaney and Riley helped extend the advantage, and with the score 23-18, a solo block from freshman outside hitter Katie Tomasic and a service ace by Hill gave the ‘Hawks a 25-18 victory.
Trailing 7-10 in set three, a block from Riley and Hill, along with kills by Hill, Ingle and Riley were part of a 6-2 run that put Miami in front, 13-12. The Falcons scored the next point to retie the score, but the RedHawks answered with another 8-3 run that put them in control at 21-16. Below had two kills during that span, while Ingle, Chaney and Hill each also contributed by putting one down. Bowling Green scored only one more point as a kill from Below, a block by Hill and two attack errors gave the RedHawks a 25-17 win.
Riley recorded four kills off assists from sophomore setter Krista Brakauskas as Miami quickly jumped to a 7-3 lead in set four. Ingle followed with three kills of her own, but the Falcons hung tough and stayed within four at 8-12. With the ‘Hawks up 17-13, Ingle scored two more kills to help extend it to a five-point advantage at 20-15. The teams stayed close until it was 22-19 in favor of MU. One final block by Hill and Riley, followed by a service ace from Below gave it match point. After the Falcons fought it off once, a service error gave the RedHawks a 25-20 victory and a 3-1 win in the match.
Ingle led the RedHawks with 12 kills. She had only one error in 22 attempts for a .500 attack percentage. In addition to her eight blocks, Hill finished with 11 kills and a .435 attack percentage. Riley had a double-double (and just missed a triple) with eight kills, 16 assists and 12 digs. Below had seven kills and nine digs, while McDonald led Miami with 15 digs.
As a team, the ‘Hawks hit .234, while holding Bowling Green to a .104 hitting percentage. Miami forced the Falcons into 33 attack errors on the night.
The RedHawks return home Saturday to host Northern Illinois at 7 p.m. as part of Miami’s Saturday Showcase. It is also the annual Dig Pink match, where the team will look to raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer as part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
