BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Miami University volleyball team completed a perfect opening weekend of Mid-American Conference play with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-19) win over Buffalo on Saturday. The RedHawks improve to 10-4 overall and 2-0 in the MAC. The Bulls fall to 8-6 overall and 0-2 in the MAC.

Miami used its blocking game and strong defense to get past UB. The Red and White put down 12 blocks while holding the Bulls to a .085 attack percentage for the match. Junior middle hitter Margaret Payne led the RedHawks with a career-high 11 blocks (one solo and 10 assisted), while sophomore outside hitter Sarah Wojick assisted on six blocks.

Offensively, the middles led the way as Payne put down 13 kills and had a .429 attack percentage. Freshman middle hitter Corinne Jemison recorded 10 kills and had only one error in 16 attempts for a .562 attack percentage.

"As coaches we are very pleased with the team's learning curve and their pride to be their best," said head coach Carolyn Condit. "We presented a very balanced attack, stepped up our defensive game and put together our most effective blocking weekend so far."

A kill by senior outside hitter Stela Kukoc off an assist from sophomore setter Morgan Seaman, and a block from Payne and freshman outside hitter Gaby Harper got Miami off to a strong start in set one. A kill from Jemison off an assist from freshman setter Louise Comerford made it 8-5. The Bulls answered with five straight points to take a 10-8 lead. Neither team could build an advantage of more than two points over the next several minutes as UB eventually took a 19-18 lead. Back-to-back kills from Wojick and Payne started a 5-0 run that gave the RedHawks a 23-19 advantage. Buffalo fought back, scoring five in a row of its own to create set point at 24-23. Miami fought set points off twice, on a kill from junior right sitter Haley Stewart and a block by Stewart and Jemison. Tied at 25, a setting error and an attack error by the Bulls gave the 'Hawks a 27-25 victory.

Tied at three in set two, kills by Stewart and Payne, along with a block from Payne and Harper helped give Miami a 7-3 lead. Buffalo closed to within two at 9-11 before back-to-back kills by Wojick and Payne got the RedHawks rolling. Harper, Jemison and Kukoc put shots down to the floor to make it 19-13 and force a Bull timeout. Out of the break, kills from Jemison, Kukoc and Payne gave the Red and White a 23-15 advantage. UB scored the next two, but a kill from Payne and a block by Payne and Wojick finished off a 25-17 win.

Set three was tight as the teams split the first 20 points. Back-to-back blocks by Payne and Wojick, along with kills from Harper and Wojick were part of a 5-1 run that made it 15-11 in favor of Miami. Buffalo was able to get as close as three points at 17-20 before a kill from Jemison and a solo block by Payne ended any hope of a comeback. The match ended fittingly on another Payne block as she teamed up with Wojick to finish off a 25-19 victory and give the RedHawks the match in straight sets.

Wojick recorded seven kills for Miami, while Harper had six. Seaman led the RedHawks with 24 assists, while sophomore libero Abigail Huser had a team-high 16 digs.

Miami returns to action next Thursday when it travels to Bowling Green for a 6 p.m. match. That contest will air live on ESPN3.