Nov. 16, 2007

Final Stats

TOLEDO, Ohio--With at 30-25, 30-28, 31-29 win against the No. 6 seed Central Michigan Chippewas in the Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Friday afternoon, Miami University's volleyball team moves to 17-9 on the season and advances to the MAC Tournament semifinals.

No. 3 seed Miami plays the No. 2 seed Western Michigan vs. No. 7 seed Eastern Michigan quarterfinal winner at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 in the semifinals.

After Central Michigan took a quick 4-2 lead, Miami rebounded with a 4-0 surge sparked by two senior outside hitter Jeanna Staun kills and a freshman setter Michelle Mangia service ace to take a 6-4 lead. The RedHawks used a pair of 4-0 runs to build a 20-11 advantage. Central Michigan battled back to within one point, 25-24, but the RedHawks rounded out game one on a 5-1 spurt, capped by a block from junior outside hitter Alex Ratcliff and freshman middle hitter Michele Metzler to take the game, 30-25.

Despite trailing seven points, 8-15, Miami pulled together a 10-2 run to take an 18-17 lead and from there it was a battle until the very end. Senior middle hitter Carli Reihman recorded two block assists and had a kill during the RedHawk surge. The teams were tied at 18-18, 20-20, 21-21, 25-25 and 26-26 before a big block by junior outside hitter Emily Schroeder and a kill Reihman handed the RedHawks a 28-26 lead. A powerful kill by Ratcliff put the RedHawks at game point, 29-27. After a Miami service error which put the Chippewas within one point, a CMU attack error gave Miami the 30-28 game two win.

Miami took a commanding 8-3 lead early in the third game. Central Michigan used a 9-1 run to overtake the RedHawks and post a 12-9 advantage. Miami battled back to knot the game at 13-13 and 14-14 before using three straight points, including one off a Stuan/sophomore Hallie Hanks block and one off a Mangia service ace, to post a 17-15 edge. Miami would lead by as many as three points, but the Chippewas would come back and tie the game at 23-23, 25-25 and 26-26. A pair of kills by Staun and a kill by Schroeder helped put Miami at game point, 29-27, but again the Chippewas came back to tie the game, 29-29. A kill by Reihman and a Central Michigan attack error, however, iced the game and the match for the RedHawks, 31-29.

Staun paced the RedHawks with 10 kills and a .391 hitting percentage. Reihman added nine kills, eight digs and four blocks, while junior libero Melissa Zenz led all players with 16 digs.

Notes: Needing three digs to crack Miami's career top 10 dig list, Carli Reihman amassed eight digs and ranks 10th with 978 career digs ... she needs just 22 digs to become the eight player in program history to amass 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs ... Miami makes its first Mid-American Conference Semifinal appearance since 2001 ... the RedHawks posted their first three-game win in MAC Tournament action since Miami defeated Northern Illinois 3-0 in the 1998 MAC Tournament Championship.

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