OXFORD, Ohio—The Miami University volleyball team (2-14; 0-6 Mid-American Conference) dropped a hard-fought five-set decision to Northern Illinois University (9-8; 3-4 MAC) on Saturday evening in Millett Hall, 25-23, 25-22, 18-25, 18-25, 11-15.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Miami opened up a 13-6 lead in the first set. The Huskies pulled within one, 19-18, and the teams went toe-to-toe through the remainder of the set. A kill from senior Sophie Riemersma followed by a block by Riemersma and freshman Brooke Cirigliano and a kill by freshman Lydia Harper clinched the opening set for MU, 25-23.
• The second set was a tight battle throughout with neither team leading by more than three. After a 21-21 tie, back-to-back Riemersma kills and a kill from junior Lindsay Taylor helped propel the RedHawks to a 25-22 win in the second stanza.
• Miami got out to a strong start in the third set, leading 10-5 after a Cirigliano kill. The Huskies used a 10-2 run to push ahead and did not look back, collecting a 25-18 win in the third set.
• NIU capped off the match, winning the fourth and fifth sets, 25-18 and 15-11, respectively.

 
NOTES:

• Senior Gaby Harper led the RedHawks with 15 kills and added 13 digs. Riemersma and Taylor were the other RedHawks to tally double-figures in kills with 12 and 10, respectively.
• Freshman Margo Lawson posted her second-straight 20-dig effort with 20 digs against the Huskies.
• Cirigliano amassed six blocks, while Riemersma added five.
• Lydia Harper posted 47 assists.

 
UP NEXT:
Miami hits the road for a pair of matches at Eastern Michigan next week. The dates have been adjusted to Thursday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 15 at 4 p.m. This is a change from previously announced dates.