BUFFALO, N.Y.—A tremendous come-back effort came up just short as the Miami University volleyball team (2-9; 0-1 Mid-American Conference) was nipped in a five-set match at the University at Buffalo (8-5; 1-0 MAC) on Friday evening in Alumni Arena, 24-26, 21-25, 25-13, 25-21, 12-15.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Miami used a 7-2 run in the first set to notch an 11-8 advantage and pushed its lead to 14-10 off a senior Gaby Harper service ace. Behind a 5-0 spurt, Buffalo took a 21-19 lead. Neither team led by more than one until a pair of Bull kills handed them the first set, 26-24.
• Miami took a quick 3-0 lead in the second set and led 9-4 early on. Buffalo climbed back to tie the set at 18-18 and outscored MU 7-3 down the stretch to take the second set, 25-21.
• The RedHawks erupted out of the gates to take a 9-2 lead in the third set, spurred by two kills from senior Sophie Riemersma and a service ace from junior Jacquelyn Krumnauer. A pair of kills from junior Allyson Severance and a block by freshman Brooke Cirigliano furthered the MU advantage to 12-3. Miami never looked back and collected a 25-13 win in the third set.
• Continuing its comeback bid, Miami took a 9-4 lead in the fourth set. Buffalo pulled within two, but Miami pushed ahead to a 17-11 advantage and went on to capture the fourth set, 25-21.
• The teams went back and forth in the fifth set with neither leading by more than one until Buffalo rattled off four-straight points to notch a 10-7 advantage. Kills by Riemersma and junior Lindsay Taylor put Miami within 10-9, but the Bulls took the fifth set and the match, 15-12.

 
NOTES:

• Riemersma led Miami with 14 kills and five blocks.
• Senior Jennifer Schulze notched a career-high 31 assists and tallied 15 digs to lead the RedHawks in both categories.
• Cirigliano notched five blocks.
• Harper added 13 kills, 13 digs and two service aces.

 
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks and Bulls round out a two-match weekend series in Buffalo at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25 in Alumni Arena.