RedHawks Triumph in 3-2 Come-Back Thriller at Kent State

Friday, November 12

Kent, Ohio

6 p.m.

Miami University

7-19,5-11MAC

Kent State University

10-18,5-11MAC

Miami (OH)

Kent St.

RedHawks Triumph in 3-2 Come-Back Thriller at Kent State

11/12/2021 10:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)

KENT, Ohio—An epic 22-20 fifth set punctuated a thrilling come-back win for the Miami University volleyball team (7-9; 5-11 Mid-American Conference) at Kent State University (10-18; 5-11 MAC) on Friday night in the M.A.C. Center as the RedHawks seized a 15-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21 22-20 decision against the Golden Flashes.

Senior Gaby Harper recorded her 1,000th career kill early in the contest, becoming the 22nd player in Miami volleyball history to record 1,000 career kills and just the ninth player in program history to amass both 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career kills. She is the first to hit both benchmarks since Carli Reihman in 2007.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Golden Flashes used a 6-0 run early in the first set to push ahead to an 8-4 lead and did not look back as they collected a 25-15 win in the opening stanza.
The second set was a little more evenly matched, and Miami trailed by one late in the set off a sophomore Abby Stratford kill, 20-21. KSU scored four unanswered to close out the set with a 25-20 win.
Neither team led by more than three points in the third set. Miami held a 15-12 lead off a Harper kill and an 18-15 edge off a Harper service ace. Miami again pushed its advantage to 24-21 and iced the set with a sophomore Maggie McCrary kill to stay alive in the match with a 25-22 win in the third set.
The teams again went toe-to-toe in the fourth set. Miami pushed ahead to a 19-16 advantage with help from a pair of kills from senior Sophie Riemersma and a Stratford service ace. The Golden Flashes came back to knot the set, 21-21, but four unanswered points from the RedHawks capped by a Harper kill handed Miami a 25-21 win in the fourth set.
The teams continued to trade punches in the fifth set. Miami posted an 11-8 lead off a block by McCrary and Riemersma but the Golden Flashes quickly came back to knot the set at 11 apiece. Neither team wanted to relent, but a block from Stratford and Harper set up match point, and Harper hammered a kill to hand Miami a 22-20 win in the fifth set.

THOUGHTS FROM HEAD COACH CAROLYN CONDIT:
"It was a break-through night as we proved to have the talent and endurance to earn our first five-set come-from-behind win. Ten different players teamed up to defeat a talented and aggressive Kent State team with Gaby putting down her 1000th career kill!"

NOTES:
Riemersma led Miami with 17 kills and added three service aces.
Harper had a double-double with 14 points and 15 digs, while Stratford added 10 kills and three blocks.
Sophomore Taylor Nomanson led all players with 19 digs.

UP NEXT:
Miami and Kent State return to the court in Kent, Ohio, on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 4 p.m.