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MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Miami University volleyball team suffered a tough 0-3 (19-25, 22-25, 21-25) setback on the road at Ball State on Friday evening. The RedHawks fall to 14-8 overall and 6-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The Cardinals improve to 10-13 overall and 4-5 in the MAC.

Miami received solid individual performances from junior middle hitter Paige Hill and freshman outside hitter Stela Kukoc. Hill led the `Hawks with nine kills and three blocks. She made only one attack error in 18 attempts for a hitting percentage of .444. Kukoc recorded six kills on the night and made no attack errors in 13 attempts. She had a team-leading hitting percentage of .462.

The Red and White fell behind, 1-5, to begin set one. Two kills from Hill off of assists from freshman setter Mackenzie Zielinski, along with kills from sophomore outside hitter Olivia Rusek and senior outside hitter Annie Reiswig were part of a 6-3 run that closed them to within one at 7-8. Trailing 10-12, a kill from Reiswig, a block by Reiswig and Hill and a kill from Rusek gave Miami the lead for the first time at 13-12. However, Ball State answered with six straight points to take control of the set at 18-13. Two kills from senior middle hitter Jenny Ingle off of assists from junior setter Krista Brakauskas helped the RedHawks get as close as three points at 19-22, but the Cardinals scored the final three in a row to take a 25-19 victory.

Miami fell behind 2-8 to begin set two. Despite kills from Hill and Ingle, BSU eventually pushed the advantage to nine at 15-6. Trailing 9-18, the RedHawks began to fight back. Kukoc recorded three kills, while Brakauskas had a service ace. A block by Hill and sophomore outside hitter Katie Tomasic made it a three-point set at 20-23. The Cardinals scored next, but another kill from Kukoc and a Ball State attack error pulled the `Hawks to within two at 22-24. Unfortunately the comeback was not to be as BSU put down a final kill to win, 25-22.

Two kills each from Ingle and Rusek, along with a kill from Tomasic put Miami in front, 11-5, to begin set three. Ball State answered with a 9-2 run to take the lead back at 14-13. The RedHawks retied the score on a service error, but four straight points from the Cardinals put them on top 18-14. Miami did not give up as it went on a 5-1 run to tie the score at 19. Ball State followed with a 6-2 run of its own to finish off a 25-21 victory and take the match in straight sets.

Rusek finished with six kills, while Ingle had five. Reiswig recorded four kills and a team-high four blocks (three solo and one assisted). Both setters recorded double-doubles on the night. Zielinski and Brakauskas each finished with 16 assists and a team-high tying 12 digs.

The RedHawks look to get back on the winning track when they travel to Toledo Saturday at 5 p.m. The match will air live on ESPN3.