Courtesy of Miami Sport Information Department
Miami 3, Central Michgian 2
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio – Down two sets to one and trailing 15-7 in set four of its match against Central Michigan, things looked bleak for the Miami University volleyball team on Sunday. However, the RedHawks showed a ton of heart in fighting back and winning the set 25-23. They then went on to win set five and earn a 3-2 (25-16, 18-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-8) victory. Miami improves to 11-8 overall and 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference. The Chippewas saw their 12-match win streak end and lost for the first time in conference play this season as they are now 17-3 overall and 7-1 in the MAC.
The team recorded 10 blocks in the match, with senior middle hitter Margaret Payne having her hands in nine of them (two solo and seven assisted), a season-high. She led the RedHawks with 14 kills and had a .345 attack percentage.
It was another strong performance for sophomore outside hitter Gaby Harper. She recorded her fourth straight double-double, putting down 13 kills and lead Miami with 15 digs.
Three kills from Payne off assists from junior setter Morgan Seaman helped the RedHawks jump to a 6-4 lead to begin set one. The Chippewas kept the score close, eventually tying it at 12 on a block. After a CMU attack error put Miami back on top, junior right side hitter Sarah Wojick took her turn to serve. She would serve the next nine points as the Red and White eventually made it a 9-0 run to take control at 21-12. That proved to more than enough as kills from Harper and senior right side hitter Haley Stewart led to a 25-16 victory.
Central Michigan led 6-3 early in set two, but a service ace by Harper, kills from Wojick and junior middle hitter Avarie Powell, and a lock from Payne and Wojick were part of an 8-4 run that put Miami on top, 11-10. The Chippewas answered with a 7-1 run of their own to take a 17-12 advantage. Stewart and Powell each had kills off of sophomore setter Louise Comerford, but the RedHawks never got any closer as CMU took a 25-18 win.
Harper kept set three even at six early, contributed a pair of kills. Central Michigan followed with a 9-4 run to take control at 15-10. It eventually pushed the advantage to eight at 23-15. Senior outside hitter Taylor Daignault and Wojick each put down kills late as the 'Hawks tried to mount a comeback, but the deficit was too great as the Chippewas went on to win, 25-19.
Momentum was completely on Central Michigan's side as it took a 6-1 lead in set four, forcing a Miami timeout. Wojick and Payne teamed up on a block out of the break, but the Chippewas consistently maintained a four-to-five point advantage. Leading 11-7, CMU scored four in row to make it 15-7 as it was seemingly on its way to victory. Back-to-back kills from Stewart and Harper began the RedHawk comeback. Trailing 10-17, two kills from Payne and one from freshman outside hitter Lindsay Taylor pulled Miami within four. A block by Powell and Payne cut the deficit to three, while a service ace by Comerford made it a two-point deficit at 17-19 and forced a CMU timeout. Out of the break, the 'Hawks scored three more in a row to take the lead at 20-19. Central Michigan scored next to tie, but kills from sophomore outside hitter Sophie Riemersma and Harper gave Miami a 22-20 advantage. The Red and White eventually got it to set point at 24-21, but the Chippewas fought it off twice. That did not matter as Harper scored the next point to complete the remarkable come-from-behind 25-23 victory and send the match into the decisive fifth set.
The teams traded side outs over the first nine points of set five. A kill from Powell gave Miami its first two-point advantage at 6-4. The teams again went back to trading side outs until a kill from Wojick had them switching sides with the RedHawks leading 8-6. A block by Daignault and Payne, plus kills from Daignault and Payne, followed by a service ace by Seaman made it a 6-0 run and put Miami in control at 12-6. Trading side outs the rest of the way, Harper put down the final kill to finish off a 15-8 victory and give the 'Hawks a 3-2 win in the match.
Wojick finished with eight kills and four blocks in the victory. Powell also had eighth blocks, while Stewart recorded seven. Seaman had a double-double with 27 kills and 10 digs, while junior libero Abigail Huser had 12 digs.
Miami hits the road next Friday as it travels to Ball State for a 7 p.m. match. It will air live on ESPN+.
