Aug. 29, 2008

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Oxford, Ohio – The Miami University volleyball team fell to Saint Louis 3-1 Friday night in the opening game of the Best Western Classic Friday. It was the first game of the season for both teams. Junior middle hitter Hallie Hanks recorded a strong game for the RedHawks, with 16 kills and a .312 hitting percentage. Junior setter Andrea Atteberry had 45 assists.

The game was back and forth early on in set one, until the Billikens went on a 10-3 run to take a 15-8 lead. Two kills by Megan Griffin, as well as one each by Emily Schroeder and Maria Leahy, keyed a 6-2 run, to pull within three points. After Saint Louis once again pushed the lead to six at 24-18, the RedHawks were able to fend off two set points with kills by Leahy and Griffin, but a service error gave the Billikens the 25-20 win.

The second set was close throughout. Saint Louis broke open a 9-9 game with a 7-4 run to take a 16-13 lead. Miami would chip away at it as Hanks scored four kills as they pulled to within one at 21-20. However, the Billikens were able to close it out after a couple of Redhawk shots went out of bounds for attack errors allowing them to take the second set 25-21.

Miami came out the aggressors in the third set, racing to a 9-2 lead featuring two kills each from Hanks and Leahy. After Saint Louis closed it to within 16-12, back-to-back kills by Schroeder gave the RedHawks a six point advantage. Miami pushed it to 24-20, but the Billikens fought off four set points to tie the score. From there a service error, followed by Attebery forcing Sammi McCloud into an attack error gave the RedHawks a 26-24 win.

Saint Louis jumped to a 6-0 lead in set four, but Miami regrouped out of a timeout to take a 10-9 lead. After a four point run by the Billikens, the RedHawks forced Saint Louis into two attack errors to pull within one at 13-12. A 9-4 run gave the Billikens a 22-16 lead, which was stopped by a kill from Griffin. Two attack errors, kills by Leahy, Hanks and Griffin and a service error pulled Miami to with one at 23-22, however a kill by Bridget Fonke followed by an attack error gave Saint Louis the set at 25-22 and the game at three sets to one.

For the game Miami had 54 kills and 25 errors along with 141 total attacks. The team had a hitting percentage of .206.

The Best Western Classic continues Saturday with three matches. Miami has a rematch with Saint Louis at 10:30 a.m. That is followed by Saint Louis vs. Stephen F. Austin at 2:30 p.m. Finally, the nightcap features the host RedHawks against Stephen F. Austin at 7:00 p.m.