Box Score Oct. 26, 2017 Box Score | Box Score (PDF) 
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- In a battle similar to their first meeting, the Miami University volleyball team went back-and-forth over several long rallies against Bowling Green on Thursday. This time the RedHawks came up a little short as they fell, 1-3 (25-22, 17-25, 24-26, 21-25). Miami is now 16-8 overall and 8-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons are 13-9 overall and 9-2 in the MAC.
"We want to win of course, but I believe Bowling Green wanted it more tonight," said head coach Carolyn Condit. "What they did is put together a good serving game and a really good transition game. I think they shined in that area and their outside hitters did a great job."
Senior middle hitter Meredith Stutz led the Miami attack once again with 15 kills. She made only one error in 23 attempts for an impressive .609 attack percentage. She also contributed seven blocks (one solo and six assisted) as the RedHawks outblocked the Falcons 10-5 on the night.
The Falcons jumped to an 8-4 lead to begin set four, forcing Miami to use an early timeout. Kills from senior outside hitter Olivia Rusek, junior right side hitter Stela Kukoc, senior right side hitter Katie Tomasic and Stutz were part of a 6-1 run that put the `Hawks on top, 10-9. The teams traded the lead four more times before a kill from Kukoc tied the score at 16. A kill and two blocks from Stutz, followed by a kill from Rusek made it 20-16 and forced Bowling Green to call timeout. Two kills from Tomasic and one kill from sophomore outside hitter Taylor Daignault helped the RedHawks get set point at 24-19. The Falcons were able to fight it off three times, but a kill from Tomasic off an assist by redshirt junior setter Mackenzie Zielinski finished off a 25-22 win.
Miami found itself facing an early 5-9 deficit to begin set two. Kills from Tomasic and Stutz, along with a service ace by Rusek helped pulled the Red and White to within three at 9-12, but Bowling Green went on a 5-1 run to take control at 17-10. Stutz put down two more kills, but the RedHawks were unable to cut into the deficit as the Falcons took a 25-17 victory.
Kills from Daignault and Rusek, a service ace by Daignault and a block from Rusek and Stutz gave Miami a quick 4-0 advantage in set three. Rusek put two more down, while a kill from sophomore middle hitter Margaret Payne made it 9-3 and forced BGSU to call timeout. With the RedHawks leading 14-8, it seemed like a block made it a seven-point advantage but Miami was out of rotation giving the point to the Falcons. That seemed to switch momentum as Bowling Green closed to within two at 15-17. Back-to-back kills from Kukoc and Payne made it a four-point match once again. Trailing 19-23, the Falcons scored three in a row to pull within one. Stutz put down a kill to get set point, but BGSU answered with four in a row to steal a 26-24 win.
After falling behind 4-7 in set four, a kill from Tomasic helped the `Hawks rebound with three in a row to tie the score. The teams traded the lead four times until the score was tied at 15. A Falcon service error and back-to-back kills from Stutz and Rusek gave Miami an 18-15 advantage and forced Bowling Green to call timeout. Out of the break, the Falcons responded with a 5-1 run of their own to take a 20-19 lead and force the RedHawks to use a timeout. Payne put down a kill out of the break to tie the score, but BGSU went on a 5-1 run to take a 25-21 win and close out a 3-1 victory in the match.
Rusek had a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Tomasic finished with 10 kills, while Kukoc just missed a double-double with nine kills and 10 digs.
Zielinski finished with a team-leading 32 assists and made it a double-double with 14 digs. Senior libero Maeve McDonald had 24 digs to lead Miami.
The RedHawks look to rebound as they travel to Northern Illinois on Saturday for an 8 p.m. (EDT) match. That contest will air live on ESPN3.
