Courtesy: Miami University Athletics
OXFORD, Ohio - The RedHawk volleyball team looks to get back on the winning track this weekend when it hosts its annual Miami Best Western/Sycamore Inn Invitational Tournament. On Friday, Miami will take on Indiana State at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the RedHawks face Chicago State at 10 a.m. and Temple at 7:30 p.m. The three other teams at the tournament will all face each other as well for a total of six matches in two days. All Miami games will be broadcast live on All-Access.
PARKING NOTE FOR SATURDAY: Fans attending the early games on Saturday should note that due to the football game, there will be a charge for parking and that all fans will need to park in the West Millett parking lot.
HARDY NEAR 1,000 DIGS: Only a couple weeks after senior Lisa Treadway reached the 1,000-dig mark for her career, junior Madison Hardy is only 68 digs away from reaching the mark herself. She would become only the third libero since the position was created in 1998 to reach that mark for Miami. Also on the milestone front, after recording 76 assists over her last four games, senior Amy Kendall is only 28 away from becoming the 10th setter to have 2,000 career assists for the Red and White.
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Miami is the defending champion of its home tournament. In 2011, the RedHawks opened the event with a come-from-behind, 3-2, victory over Florida Gulf Coast. They then took down Radford, 3-1, and Alabama A&M, 3-0, to capture the title.
ABOUT INDIANA STATE: The Sycamores are 1-6 on the season. They lost six matches in a row after winning their season opener. That includes dropping matches against Loyola, SIU-Edwardsville and Western Illinois last weekend at their home tournament. Indiana State is led by senior middle hitter Shea Doran. She has 97 kills on the season, an average of 3.13 per set.
THE SERIES AGAINST THE SYCAMORES: Miami holds an 8-2 lead in the all-time series with Indiana State. The Sycamores are visiting the RedHawks' tournament this year after Miami went to Indiana State's tournament last season. Miami won that tournament, defeating ISU in a dramatic, 3-2, match. The Red and White dropped the first two sets before coming back to take the last three. Jenn Caylor had 13 kills and 19 digs for the RedHawks in the match.
ABOUT CHICAGO STATE: The Cougars are 2-7 on the season. They split four matches last weekend at Coppin State's tournament, beating the host and North Carolina A&T, while falling to Bryant and Youngstown State. Chicago State has a strong libero in sophomore Mia Townsell. She has 146 digs on the season, an average of 4.87 per set.
THE SERIES AGAINST THE COUGARS: Miami is 3-0 all-time against Chicago State. The teams met last season at Indiana State's tournament. The RedHawks came away with a 3-0 victory in that contest. Christina Menche led Miami with 10 kills.
ABOUT TEMPLE: Temple is 4-3 on the season. Playing their city rivals last weekend, the Owls went 2-1 at the Big 5 Tournament, defeating Penn and La Salle while falling to Villanova in five sets. Temple is led by junior outside hitter Elyse Burkert. She has 103 kills on the season, an average of 4.29 per set.
THE SERIES AGAINST THE OWLS: Miami has won all three past meetings with Temple. The teams last played on Sept. 3, 2005, where the RedHawks came away with a 3-1 win.
