OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University volleyball team secured its place in history with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-13) victory over Western Michigan Saturday evening. With the win, the RedHawks earned the 2019 MAC Regular Season Championship for the fourth straight season. Miami improves to 17-10 on the year and finishes 12-4 in the MAC. The Broncos finish the season 14-14 overall and 5-11 in the MAC.

This is the second time in program history that Miami has won four straight regular season titles. The previous time was from 1995-98. It was fitting that it was Senior Night on Saturday as the class of 2020 was honored before the match and now joins the class of 1999 as the only two classes to win four rings in four tries.

The 2019 team won the MAC regular season championship outright, which is the first time a Miami team has done that since 1995.

As for the match, it was an all-around solid offensive effort. Miami made only 10 attack errors the entire night and had a sizzling .347 attack percentage. A pair of seniors were a big part of that as senior middle hitter Haley Stewart tied her career high with eight kills. She did not make an attack error in 13 attempts for a .615 hitting percentage. Senior middle hitter Margaret Payne finished with seven kills and added five blocks (three solo, two assisted).

A kill and a block by Payne, along with two kills from freshman right side hitter Allyson Severance off assists from junior setter Morgan Seaman helped Miami take an 8-5 lead to begin set one. A kill by Stewart off an assist from sophomore setter Louise Comerford and a block by senior outside hitter Taylor Daignault made it 11-6. A pair of kills by sophomore outside hitter Gaby Harper and one from junior right side hitter Avarie Powell got the margin to seven at 19-12. That is where it would finish as a block by Powell gave the RedHawks a 25-18 win.

Western Michigan held an early 5-2 advantage in set two before Miami went on a 7-2 run to take a 9-7 advantage. The Broncos scored three in a row to regain the lead, but back-to-back kills from Daignault and Severance took it right back. It went back and forth as neither team could build more than two points. Tied at 17, a kill from Powell and a block from Stewart were part of three straight that put the RedHawks in control. The Broncos fought back, however, with a 3-1 run to tie it at 21. From there, Miami answered with a 4-1 finish to take a 25-22 victory.

Payne had two kills, while Severance and Powell had one apiece as the RedHawks took an 8-3 lead in set three. Stewart had two more kills as part of an 8-2 run that gave Miami a 16-6 advantage. That proved to be more than enough as Western Michigan was unable to get closer. A final kill from Payne finished off a 25-13 victory and gave the 'Hawks the win in straight sets.

Powell led Miami with nine kills and had a .533 attack percentage. Severance had eight kills, while Harper finished with six kills and 11 digs. Seaman led the RedHawks with 21 assists, while junior libero Abigail Huser had a team-high 15 digs.

As a team, Miami had 15 blocks, compared to only five for the Broncos.

The RedHawks will be the top seed in next week's MAC Tournament that will take place in Bowling Green, Ohio. Miami has earned a bye to the semifinals and will play a to be determined opponent on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Check back with MiamiRedHawks.com later Saturday for full MAC Tournament information.