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OXFORD, Ohio – The winning streak reached seven as the Miami University volleyball team downed Akron, 3-1 (25-15, 24-26, 25-17, 25-14), on Saturday evening. The victory clinched a spot in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament in three weeks. The RedHawks improve to 16-8 overall and 9-3 in the MAC. The Zips fall to 8-19 overall and 2-10 in the MAC.
Sophomore outside hitter Maris Below concluded a fantastic weekend with her second straight double-double. She led Miami with 13 kills on a .342 attack percentage and added 10 digs. She also assisted on three blocks and recorded two service aces.
Set one could not have started any better for Miami as it recorded the first six points and eventually built an 8-1 lead. During the run, sophomore middle hitter Paige Hill had two kills and a service ace, while senior setter/right side hitter Meg Riley had a kill and Below recorded a service ace of her own. The Zips eventually closed to within three at 8-11, but a 12-3 run by the RedHawks put the set completely out of reach at 23-11. Below had two kills in the run, while Hill recorded two blocks. A kill from freshman right side hitter Courtney Bemis off an assist from Riley finished off the 25-15 victory.
Akron built a 5-1 advantage early in set two. A block by Hill and Riley started a run of three straight points that pulled Miami to within one, but the Zips eventually pushed the lead to six at 15-9. Kills from senior right side hitter Sarah Chaney and Below, along with a service ace from sophomore setter Krista Brakauskas were part of a 7-1 run that tied the score at 16. Akron answered back with a 4-1 response to take a 20-17 lead. Riley recorded a pair of kills, while redshirt junior middle hitter Jenny Ingle put one down to give MU a 22-21 advantage. The teams traded points until the RedHawks were in front, 24-23. The Zips were able to follow with the next three points to steal a 26-24 win and tie the match at one set apiece.
Both teams made several attacks errors during the first portion of set three, but the RedHawks were able to capitalize more. A block by Ingle and Below gave Miami a 9-3 lead. Akron went on an 8-3 run to close to within one at 11-12. A service ace from Brakauskas, along with kills from Riley, Hill and Ingle were part of an 8-3 run that gave Miami a 20-14 advantage. With the score 22-17, the RedHawks finished off a 25-17 win by recording three straight blocks. Ingle and junior outside hitter Annie Reiswig had the first two, while Ingle teamed up with Chaney for the final one.
Below recorded three kills as Miami built a 10-7 lead to begin set four. Back-to-back kills from Riley, followed by a service ace from Hill put the ‘Hawks up by a 14-9 score. After the Zips scored the next point, an 8-2 run by MU put the set out of reach at 22-11. Ingle and Below each had two kills during that stretch. A kill from Hill and an Akron attack error finished off a 25-14 win and gave the RedHawks a 3-1 victory in the match.
Riley finished with a double-double, recording 11 kills and 19 assists. Hill and nine kills and four blocks, while Ingle recorded seven kills and six blocks. Brakauskas led the RedHawks with 25 assists, while freshman libero Maeve McDonald had 15 digs. Miami hit .273 as a team and recorded 11 total blocks. It held Akron to a .114 attack percentage.
The RedHawks return to action on Thursday when they host Bowling Green at 7 p.m. That match will be Senior Night, and the seniors will be honored in a prematch ceremony.
