OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami University volleyball team hits the road for the first time this season as it travels to Carbondale, Illinois for the Saluki Invitational this weekend. On Friday, the RedHawks will face Murray State at 2 p.m. (EDT) and follow it up with a match against host Southern Illinois at 8 p.m. (EDT). The tournament concludes on Saturday when Miami takes on Alabama A&M at 1 p.m. The match between the 'Hawks and the Salukis Friday will air live on ESPN+.
STRONG START: After graduating seven seniors off last year's championship team, there could have been questions as to whether the RedHawks could continue their recent success of the past few seasons. Miami got off to a good start answering those questions with a 2-1 record at its home tournament last weekend. Junior middle hitter
Margaret Payne and senior right side hitter
Stela Kukoc were each named to the All-Tournament Team. In addition, freshman outside hitter
Gaby Harper made immediate contributions as a six-rotation player, staring all three matches and averaging 1.85 kills and 1.54 digs per set.
WOJICK BREAKOUT WEEKEND: After sitting behind veterans as a freshman last season, sophomore outside hitter
Sarah Wojick had a breakout performance at the Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational last weekend. She finished third on the RedHawks with 25 total kills, an average of 1.92 per set. Wojick also was second on Miami in hitting percentage, attacking at a .269 clip from the antennas.
OPPONENT PREVIEWS
ABOUT MURRAY STATE: The Racers are 2-1 on the season after defeating Omaha (3-0) and New Orleans (3-0) and falling to Houston (0-3) at the New Orleans Invitational last weekend. They return all of their starters and nearly every letterwinner from a team that went 22-9 and advanced to the OVC Championship match in 2017. Murray State's top player is junior outside hitter Rachel Giustino. Last season she had 469 kills, an average of 4.01 per set. She started out strongly last weekend with 43 kills, an average of 4.78 per set.
SERIES WITH RACERS: This is the first ever meeting between Miami and Murray State.
ABOUT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: After going 6-23 last season, the Salukis are off to a better start in 2018 with a 2-1 record after the first weekend. At the Cardinal Classic, SIU defeated IUPUI (3-1) and UT Martin (3-2) and fell to host Louisville (0-3). The top performer at that tournament was sophomore right side hitter Maggie Nedoma. She had 49 kills, an average of 4.08 per set.
SERIES WITH SALUKIS: Southern Illinois holds a 4-2 lead in the all-time series against Miami. The two teams met last season in Oxford on Aug. 26, 2017 at the Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational with the RedHawks coming away with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-13) victory.
Olivia Rusek led the way with a double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs for Miami.
ABOUT ALABAMA A&M: The Bulldogs are 2-2 on the season. At the SWAC/MEAC Challenge last weekend they lost to North Carolina A&T (1-3) and defeated North Carolina Central (3-0) on Friday, and followed that up with a win over South Carolina State (3-0) and loss to Gardner-Webb on Saturday. Alabama A&M's top returner player is junior outside hitter Terra Brooks. Last season she had 245 kills, an average of 3.13 kills per set.
SERIES WITH BULLDOGS: Miami won the only meeting between the two schools 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-17) on Sept. 10, 2011 at its home Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational in Oxford. Lisa Treadway led the RedHawks with 10 kills, while Meg Riley just missed a triple-double with nine kills, 12 assists and nine digs.
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