OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University volleyball team could not overcome a strong Dayton block and hitting attack as it dropped a 0-3 (14-25, 21-25, 21-25) decision Tuesday evening. The RedHawks fall to 2-2 on the season, while the Flyers improve to 1-3.

Senior middle hitter Margaret Payne led Miami with nine kills and a .462 attack percentage. However, Dayton had a .333 attack percentage as a team and recorded 10 blocks to help lead it to the victory.
Junior setter Morgan Seaman led off the match with a service ace, but the Flyers were able to build a 6-3 lead to begin set one. Freshman outside hitter Lindsay Taylor put down a kill to halt the rally, but Dayton with a 10-5 run to take control at 16-9. Payne put down a pair of kills but the deficit was too much to overcome as the Flyers took a 25-14 win.

The RedHawks came out with a lot more fight to begin set two. Kills from freshman outside hitter Allyson Severance, junior right side hitter Sarah Wojick and sophomore right side hitter Sophie Riemersma helped Miami jump to a 7-4 lead. Junior middle hitter Avarie Powell had a block, while sophomore outside hitter Gaby Harper recorded a kill off an assist from sophomore setter Louise Comerford to increase the advantage to 11-7. Dayton closed to within two points, but back-to-back kills from Wojick and Payne put Miami on top, 16-12. The Flyers answered with a 6-0 run to go in front, 18-16. Payne and Riemersma recorded kills, while a block from Powell and Riemersma retied the score at 19. Dayton scored the next two points and closed on a 6-2 run to earn a 25-21 victory.

Severance had a kill and a service ace as set three started off as a back and forth battle. Two straight kills from Powell tied the score at eight. Dayton went on a 9-5 run to go in front, 17-13. A 5-1 run by the RedHawks led by a kill from Taylor off an assist from Seaman and a service ace by junior libero Abigail Huser tied the score at 18. The Flyers however took the next three points to regain control, and despite kills from Taylor and Payne, they would not relinquish it as they took a 25-21 win and the match in three sets.

Taylor finished with six kills for Miami, while Riemersma had five. Seaman led the 'Hawks with 18 assists, while Harper and Huser had seven digs apiece.

Miami returns to action this weekend when it competes in the Auto Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Michigan. On Friday, the RedHawks face 21st-ranked Tennessee at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, Miami takes on Indiana State at noon.