Volleyball Wins Saluki Invitational with 3-0 Win Over Alabama A&M

Saturday, September 1

Carbondale, Ill.

1:00 p.m. ET

Miami University

5-1

Alabama A&M

3-5

Alabama A&M

Miami

Volleyball Wins Saluki Invitational with 3-0 Win Over Alabama A&M

9/1/2018 2:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Alabama A&M Box (PDF)

Margaret Payne named Tournament MVP

CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Miami University volleyball team finished off its Saluki Invitational Championship with a dominating 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-11) victory over Alabama A&M on Saturday. The RedHawks improve to 5-1 on the season, while the Bulldogs fall to 3-5.

Junior middle hitter Margaret Payne was named the Saluki Invitational MVP. She finished with 30 kills, an average of 2.73 per set, and also contributed 12 blocks, an average of 1.09 per set. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by senior right side hitter Stela Kukoc, who averaged 2.22 kills and 3.89 digs per set, and freshman middle hitter Corinne Jemison, who had a breakout weekend with 17 kills and a .438 attack percentage.

Miami had its offense working on all cylinders against AA&M. The RedHawks made only 10 attack errors the entire match and had a .435 attack percentage. That was only 11 points short of the school record of .446 set against Coppin State on Aug. 26, 2011.

Payne led a balanced Miami offense with 13 kills and three blocks. Freshman outside hitter Gaby Harper finished with nine kills and a .667 attack percentage. Junior right side hitter Haley Stewart tied a career high with eight kills and did not have a hitting error in 10 attempts for an impressive .800 attack percentage.

"With every teammate contributing, we were able to earn the championship title," said head coach Carolyn Condit. "Many fine performances today with much ahead to experience and learn."

Two kills from Payne, along with a kill from Stewart and a service ace by junior libero Lindsay Dauch helped Miami to a 6-2 lead to begin set one. Stewart put down two more kills, while Harper and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Wojick each had one, but the Bulldogs kept it tight during the first half of the set. Leading 14-11, the RedHawks went on a 10-3 run to take control at 24-14. Stewart had three kills, while Payne and Daignault had two each during that stretch. A kill from Jemison off an assist from freshman setter Jennifer Schulze finished off a 25-15 win.

Alabama A&M scored first to begin set two, but the RedHawks fired back with the next eight points in a row. Payne had two kills off assists from sophomore setter Morgan Seaman, while Jemison had two of her own to help Miami extend the lead to 16-5. That proved to be more than enough as a kill from Harper completed another 25-15 victory.

Freshman outside hitter Sophie Riemersma had two services aces as the RedHawks scored the first five points of set three. Harper put down four kills, while sophomore middle hitter Avarie Powell recorded the first two kills of her career to help Miami push the lead to 15-4. The Bulldogs closed to within seven at 10-17, but two more service aces by Riemersma and two kills from Payne were part of an 8-1 run that closed out a 25-11 victory and gave the 'Hawks a straight set victory.

Seaman led Miami with 21 assists, while Schulze finished with 20. The RedHawk defense held Alabama A&M to a .118 attack percentage for the match.

Miami return to action on Tuesday when it travels to Dayton for a 7 p.m. match.