MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—A five-set, come-from-behind win at Central Michigan University on Saturday afternoon catapulted the Miami University volleyball team to its fifth-straight win and a berth in the four-team Mid-American Conference Tournament next weekend. Behind a career-high 23 kills from junior Gaby Harper, the RedHawks pulled out the thrilling 23-25, 20-25, 25-15, 25-23, 15-7 win against the Chippewas. Miami moves to 13-8 on the season and in MAC action, while CMU finishes its season at 11-11.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• CMU took an early lead, but Miami used 5-0 run spurred by two kills each from senior Avarie Powell and Harper to post a 9-8 edge. The Chippewas used a 6-0 spurt to reclaim the lead, 16-10. Miami chipped away and took a 20-19 advantage with help from two Powell kills. MU held a 21-20 lead, but the Chippewas were able to outscore Miami down the stretch to claim a 25-23 win in the first set.
• Miami held a 9-6 lead with help from kills by Harper and junior Sophie Riemersma and a block by Riemersma and Powell. A 7-1 CMU flurry put the Chippewas on top 16-11. Miami closed within one, 20-19, but CMU went on to take the second set, 25-20.
• A sophomore Allyson Severance kill handed Miami an early 5-4 lead and the RedHawks never looked back in the third set. The Chippewas closed within three, 16-13, but Miami used a 9-2 surge, propelled by four Harper kills, to seize the third set, 25-15. Miami hit a scorching .548 in the third set, compiling 18 kills while committing just one attack error.
• Miami built an early 9-6 lead in the fourth set with help from a trio of kills by Powell. CMU came back to take one-point leads, the last coming at 16-15. A kill from senior Sarah Wojick and a block by Wojick and freshman Maggie McCrary helped Miami notch a 19-16 edge and a lead it would not relinquish. After posting a 24-20 lead, CMU closed within one at 24-23, but a kill by Riemersma clinched the fourth set, 25-23, and sent the match to a deciding set for the second-straight match against the Chippewas.
• The RedHawks jumped out to a 6-2 lead with help from a pair of kills by Severance. CMU responded with three-straight points to close within one, 6-5. The RedHawks used a timely 6-0 flurry to push their lead to 14-6. After a CMU kill to halt the RedHawk run, a Chippewa service error handed Miami the fifth set, 15-7.

 
COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH CAROLYN CONDIT:
"When I asked the team after our second impressive come-back win at Central Michigan why they continue to win in five they replied, 'Making up for lost time. We want to play as much volleyball as possible!'"
 
NOTES:

• Harper's 23 kills are the most by a Miami player this season and mark the third time a RedHawk has reached or eclipsed 20 kills this season with Wojick and Powell doing so in Friday's match against CMU.
• Harper added 11 digs and two service aces to her performance, while hitting a strong .328.
• Powell finished with 15 kills and a scorching .481 hitting percentage for the match, while Wojick was the other RedHawk in double figures for kills with 10.
• Senior Morgan Seaman amassed 52 assists, her fifth-straight match with 50 or more assists and seventh this season.
• Senior Abigail Huser recorded 25 digs, the 10th time this season she has had 20 or more digs.
• McCrary and Powell had three blocks apiece.
• This was Miami's third-straight, five-set win. The RedHawks were down two sets in both matches against Central Michigan before winning the final three to pull out the come-from-behind wins.

 
UP NEXT:
Miami has earned a berth in the MAC Tournament in Bowling Green, Ohio, April 2-3. The No. 4 seed RedHawks will battle No. 1 seed Bowling Green at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 2 at the Stroh Center.