Sept. 28, 2007

Box Score | Video Highlights 

ATHENS, Ohio - Miami University's volleyball team defeated the No. 17 Ohio Bobcats on Friday evening, handing Ohio its first Mid-American loss since Nov. 8, 2003. Miami (5-7; 2-1 MAC) snapped Ohio's (10-4; 2-1 MAC) 47 home-match winning streak, which was the second longest active streak in the country. The RedHawks also snapped Ohio's 52-match MAC winning streak.

Two kills and a solo block by senior outside hitter Jeanna Staun gave the RedHawks a two-point lead, 4-2 in game one. After Ohio took a three-point lead, 9-6, three kills by junior outside hitter Alex Ratcliff and a service ace by senior middle hitter Carli Reihman tied the game, 12-12. Two points later, the RedHawks took their first lead of the game, 14-13, off a Bobcat error. The game remained tied at 16-16, but Ohio went on a four-point surge, three of which came from Stephanie Blackburn kills. Miami remained within four points as late as 18-22, but three Miami service errors helped Ohio win game one, 30-23.

Two Miami errors put the Bobcats up 3-0 in game two, but the RedHawks used kills by Reihman, Ratcliff and sophomore middle hitter Megan Griffin to tie the game, 7-7. Tied at 11-11, a kill by sophomore setter Andrea Atteberry and a kill down the line by Staun gave Miami a 14-11 lead. A set of Miami errors allowed the Bobcats to tie the game, 15-15, and the Bobcats used consecutive kills of the block from Blackburn to take its largest lead of the game, 22-18. Miami closed to within one point on four different occasions, with the last at 27-28, before a kill by Ratcliff tied the game 28-28. With the score still tied, 29-29, a kill by freshman middle hitter Michele Metzler and an Ohio attack error gave Miami the game-two win.

Miami came out of the locker room determined to win and led throughout the third game. A block by Griffin and Atteberry put the RedHawks up three points, 5-2. Miami held its cushion until the Bobcats battled back to tie the game at 16-16. With the game tied at 19-19, a Bobcat attack error and a service ace from Atteberry gave Miami a two-point lead, 21-19. Ohio tied the game at 26-26, but Miami would not relinquish the lead as the RedHawks went on to win game three, 30-28.

Ohio came out of the gates strong as the Bobcats jumped out to a 6-3 lead. Miami battled back to tie the game at 8-8. Still tied at 11-11, a kills by Staun and Griffin ignited a Miami run as the RedHawks took a 15-11 lead. The Bobcats closed to within one point, 20-19, but Miami exchanged side outs with Ohio until a block by Griffin and Metzler put Miami up 28-25. The three-point cushion held as the RedHawks defeated No. 17 Ohio, 30-27.

Griffin led the RedHawks with 15 kills, while the RedHawks as a team combined for 12 blocks.

Blackburn led the Bobcats with 23 kills.

The win over Ohio was the program's first win over a ranked team in program history. The RedHawks travel up to Kent, Ohio to play Kent State at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29.