Box Score Oct. 14, 2017 Box Score | Box Score (PDF) 
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OXFORD, Ohio -- More history was made Saturday evening, as with several of her former players in attendance, Miami University head volleyball coach Carolyn Condit earned her 700th career victory Saturday with a 3-0 (25-16, 35-33, 28-26) win over Eastern Michigan. With their fifth straight win, the RedHawks improve to 14-7 overall and 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles fall to 10-14 overall and 2-6 in the MAC.
Coach Condit previously had earned her 600th victory for Miami on Friday against Central Michigan. Before coming to the Red and White in 1984, she was the head coach at Xavier for four seasons, where she amassed 99 victories. Condit's career record now stands at 700-534. She has the 12th most wins among active NCAA Division I coaches.
"I guess it was meant to be to do it at home," said head coach Carolyn Condit. I don't think about (these milestones) coming up on me and here we are at home celebrating both of them. I couldn't have been blessed more to have so many alums here that actually made this happen with their great athleticism and how hard they worked - including my present team. I think about all the fantastic assistant coaches I've had. They all lifted me up and this program up to get to these milestones. I am really grateful for all the fantastic people I've gotten to work with."
As for the match, it took a strong team effort to overcome a very game Eastern Michigan squad, especially in the final two sets. Senior outside hitter Olivia Rusek led Miami's offense with 14 kills, while senior libero Maeve McDonald led the defense with 25 digs. The RedHawks hit .209 for the match, while holding the Eagles to a .155 attack percentage.
Miami was on the attack from the start in set one. Rusek recorded four kills, while sophomore outside hitter Taylor Daignault, senior middle hitter Meredith Stutz and senior right side hitter Katie Tomasic each had one apiece as the Red and White built a 10-4 lead. A service ace from McDonald, along with kills from sophomore middle hitter Haley Stewart and Rusek helped extend the advantage to 17-9. Eastern Michigan was able to close to within five at 14-19, but back-to-back kills from Rusek, one off an assist from redshirt junior setter Mackenzie Zielinski and the other off of freshman setter Morgan Seaman put thoughts of an Eagle comeback away. Kills from sophomore middle hitter Margaret Payne and Tomasic finished off a 25-16 win.
Set two ended up being an epic battle. Daignault had three kills as Miami built a 13-9 lead early. Eastern Michigan closed to within three at 13-16, before kills from Payne and junior middle hitter Courtney Simons were part of a 6-4 run that gave the RedHawks their largest lead of the set at 22-17. The Eagles fought back with four in a row to pull within one before Tomasic put down a kill to make it 23-21. Eastern Michigan then scored three in a row to get set point at 24-23. MU forced an EMU attack error to fight that off. The RedHawks fought off one more set point before getting a kill from Payne that gave them set point at 26-25. Now it was the Eagles turn to fight off set points, as they did it three times before scoring two in a row to take a 29-28 lead. An EMU attack error and a kill from Stutz put Miami on top, 30-29, but the Eagles again fought it off. The teams went back and forth until the score was tied at 33. At that point Rusek finally put down back-to-back kills to give the RedHawks a 35-33 victory. Each team fought off set point five times during that frame.
The Eagles jumped to a 9-5 lead in set three, forcing a Miami timeout. Out of the break, Payne and Stewart teamed up for a block, sparking a 6-3 run that closed the RedHawks to within one at 11-12. Miami was able to briefly take the advantage back at 14-13, before the Eagles went in front again. Leading 21-20, EMU scored three of the next five points to create set point at 24-22. Back-to-back kills by Tomasic and Stutz fought that off and tied the score at 24. The RedHawks successfully fought off two more set points with kills by Payne and Rusek that tied the score at 26. A setting error gave Miami its first chance to win and it took advantage as Payne found the floor to give the `Hawks a 28-26 win and a straight-set victory in the match.
Tomasic finished with 10 kills for Miami, while Payne and Daignault each had nine. Zielinski led the Red and White with 30 assists, while Seaman finished with 18. Stutz led the RedHawks with three blocks. Miami returns to the road next week as it travels to Toledo for a 7 p.m. match.
