Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
24-7
Oregon
21-9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 22 | 17 | 25 | 19 | 1 |
| Oregon | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 3 |
Volleyball Falls in NCAA First Round to Oregon
12/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
| Photo Gallery 
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Miami University volleyball team battled back-and-forth with the 19th-ranked Oregon in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, but ultimately fell, 1-3 (22-25, 17-25, 25-22, 19-25). The RedHawks finish one of their best all-time seasons at 24-7, while the Ducks advance to the Second Round and improve to 21-9.
The RedHawks held leads in all four sets of the match, but Oregon's talented attackers hit .336 for the contest, while holding Miami to a .178 attack percentage.
Junior right side hitter Olivia Rusek finished with the team lead of 13 kills, while junior libero Maeve McDonald had 25 digs. She became only the second player in school history to reach 1,500 career digs. Sophomore setter Mackenzie Zielinski had a double-double with 20 assists and 18 digs.
Junior right side hitter Katie Tomasic, sophomore outside hitter Stela Kukoc and Rusek each had kills as Miami built a 5-2 lead to begin set one. The Ducks fought back to tie it at seven, but a kill from senior middle hitter Paige Hill off an assist from Zielinski put the `Hawks back on top. Oregon took the lead at 13-12, but five straight points for Miami, capped off by back-to-back blocks from Rusek and senior outside hitter Maris Below and a service ace from Kukoc gave the RedHawks their largest lead at 17-13. Oregon scored the next two, but a kill from Below off an assist by senior setter Krista Brakauskas made it 18-15. The Ducks responded with a 7-1 run to take a 22-19 lead and force Miami to call timeout. Out of the break, Tomasic put down a kill while Below recorded a service ace to close MU to within one. That would be as close as it would get as Oregon finished the set with a 3-1 run to take a 25-22 victory.
Set two started out well for the RedHawks as a kill from junior middle hitter Meredith Stutz put Miami on top, 6-3. Oregon would tie it at nine, but kills from Hill and Rusek put Miami back in front. The Ducks went on a 7-2 run to take control at 17-13. Oregon committed a service error at that point, but four straight point by the Ducks put the set out of reach. Zielinski and Rusek each had kills, but Oregon took a 25-17 win to send the match into intermission up 2-0.
McDonald recorded a service ace, while Stutz had back-to-back solo blocks as part of Miami's start to set three. Back-to-back kills from Tomasic gave the RedHawks a 10-5 advantage. The Ducks pulled to within two at 9-11, but kills from Hill and Kukoc got MU's offense going again. Leading 17-15, kills from Stutz and Hill were part of a 4-0 run that made it 21-15 in favor of the Red and White. Oregon fought back with five straight to pull within one at 20-21, but Hill ended the run with a kill. Leading 22-21, a kill from Kukoc and a Duck attack error gave Miami set point. The Ducks fought it off once, but their service error gave the RedHawks a 25-22 victory and sent the match forward.
A kill by Tomasic, an Oregon attack error and a kill from Rusek saw Miami quickly take a 3-0 advantage in set four. Oregon scored the next three, which started a back-and forth battle that lasted throughout the first half of the frame. The lead changed four times until Rusek had two kills to tie the score at 14. Tied at 15 after a kill from Stutz, a 4-0 run from the Ducks gave them control. Below tried to stop the bleeding with a kill, but two more points from Oregon made it 21-16. A service error by the Ducks and a kill from Hill pulled the RedHawks to within three at 18-21, but Oregon closed on a 4-1 run to finish off a 25-19 victory and take the match 3-1.
Tomasic had 11 kills for Miami, while Hill finished with 10. Brakauskas led the RedHawks with 21 assists.
Miami completes its 2016 season with its first MAC Regular Season Championship since 1998 and the most victories since winning 27 in that same season. The RedHawks three seniors, Below, Brakauskas and Hill, leave MU with 78-43 record these past four seasons.
