OXFORD, Ohio – After falling to the University at Buffalo a little over a month ago, the Miami University volleyball team got a measure of revenge with a 3-1 (25-14, 25-17, 24-26, 25-21) victory over the Bulls on Friday. It was the sixth straight victory for the RedHawks. Miami improves to 15-8 overall and 8-3 in the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo falls to 14-11 overall and 4-7 in the MAC.
The RedHawks recorded a season-high 14 blocks in the victory. Leading the way was sophomore middle hitter Paige Hill, who finished with seven (one solo and six assisted). She also tied for the team lead with 12 kills and a .391 attack percentage.
Defensively, senior setter/right side hitter Meg Riley was the leader for Miami. She finished with 23 digs, which was only one short of her career-high. She made it a double-double with 21 assists, and also had seven kills.
Kills from freshman outside hitter Katie Tomasic, senior right side hitter Sarah Chaney and Hill helped Miami open up a 6-2 lead in set one. The Bulls were able to close to within three at 7-10, before a 7-2 run by the ‘Hawks put them in control at 17-9. During the run, Below had a pair of kills, and she teamed up with Hill on a block. Chaney put down three more kills to eventually push the advantage to 22-13. A service ace from freshman libero Maeve McDonald and a kill from Below finished off a 25-14 win.
The Bulls jumped to an early 4-1 lead to begin set two. Kills from Riley and Tomasic, along with a blocks by Tomasic and junior middle hitter Jenny Ingle put Miami back in front. The ‘Hawks eventually built a five-point lead at 13-8 off kills from Chaney and Hill. In front, 16-13, the Red and White went on a 5-2 run to take a 21-15 advantage. From there, kills by Below, Hill and Riley helped Miami get to set point. A kill from Tomasic off an assist by sophomore setter Krista Brakauskas finished off a 25-17 victory.
Trailing 8-11 in set three, Buffalo scored seven straight points to take a 15-11 advantage. Tomasic stopped the bleeding with a kill, but the Bulls eventually pushed the lead to five at 22-17. A block from Hill and Riley, a kill from Riley and a UB attack error cut the deficit to two at 20-22. The teams traded the next three points, which gave the Bulls set point at 24-21. Miami did not give up as a kill from Riley, followed by back-to-back kills from freshman outside hitter Olivia Rusek tied the score at 24. The comeback was not to be, as Buffalo answered with two straight points to take a 26-24 win.
Tied at seven in set four, Hill assisted on three blocks as the RedHawks went on a 7-1 run to take control at 14-8. Two kills from junior outside hitter Annie Reiswig, along with kills from Hill and Ingle helped Miami to its largest lead of the set at 20-12. The Bulls responded with an 8-2 run to pull within four at 18-22. Riley scored next with a kill off a Brakauskas assist, but two more points in a row by Buffalo made it a two-point score at 21-23. Reiswig finished it off for the RedHawks with back-to-back kills to give Miami a 25-21 victory and a 3-1 win in the match.
Below tied for the team lead with 12 kills, and made it a double-double with 12 digs. Chaney and Tomasic each had nine kills for the RedHawks. Chaney also was a part of six blocks (one solo and five assisted). Brakauskas led Miami with 26 assists, while McDonald finished with 15 digs. The ‘Hawks hit .236 as a team, while holding Buffalo to a .115 attack percentage.
Miami looks to keep the winning streak going when it hosts Akron on Saturday at 7 p.m.
