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Nov. 23, 2007

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio - For the first time since 1998, Miami University's volleyball team notched its first 20-win season with a three-game win over Xavier in the MAC/A-10 Challenge on Friday evening. Miami (20-9; 13-3 MAC) was led by junior outside hitter Emily Schroeder's 13 kills, while Xavier's (23-10; 11-2 A-10) Kelly Ruth led the Musketeers with 14 kills.

Trailing 6-2 in game one, the RedHawks used a service ace by freshman setter Michelle Mangia, a kill from sophomore middle hitter Megan Griffin and forced six Musketeers attack errors to rally off eight straight points and take a 10-6 lead. Miami held its four-point lead as late as 22-18, before Xavier took six consecutive points to re-gain a 26-24 lead. A kill by Chelsea Campbell put the Musketeers one point away from a game-one win, but a kill by freshman middle hitter Michele Metzler and a Xavier attack error reversed the tides and put the RedHawks up one-point, 30-29. Miami could not take advantage of three more game points, but consecutive Xavier attack errors gave Miami a hard-fought 36-34 game-one win.

Two kills apiece by junior outside hitter Alex Ratcliff and Metzler pushed the RedHawks out to a six-point cushion, 10-4, in game two. A service ace by senior outside hitter Jeanna Staun and a Xavier attack error gave Miami its biggest lead of the game, 18-12, but the Musketeers slowly crept back in the game and only trailed by one point, 24-25, late in the game. The Musketeers and RedHawks traded the next six points, but a kill by Ratcliff and another Musketeer attack error gave Miami a 30-27 win and sent the RedHawks into the ten minute break with a two game lead.

Strong serving by junior libero Melissa Zenz led Miami to a 10-6 lead in game three. A kill by Ratcliff followed by three Xavier errors extended Miami's lead to six points, 15-9, but another Xavier run cut the RedHawk lead to one point, 18-17. A kill by Ratcliff, a Xavier error and back-to-back kills by Metzler re-established a five-point lead for Miami, 22-17. From that point, the RedHawks stayed in control and won the third game, 30-24.

Schroeder led the RedHawks with 13 kills, while Staun and senior middle hitter Carli Reihman added 10 kills apiece. Zenz collected a team-best 19 digs.

Kelly Ruth led the Musketeers with 14 kills and 14 digs.

Miami continues the MAC/A-10 Challenge tomorrow afternoon against No. 15 Dayton. The Flyers defeated Western Michigan in the first game of the tournament and it is the first time since 2005 that Miami and Dayton have played. The match is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. or 30 minutes following the completion of the 2 p.m. match.