MAC Volleyball Tournament Central
MAC Volleyball Tournament Bracket
No. 1 Miami 3, No. 4 Bowling Green 1
Box Score
Video: Miami Senior, Paige Hill
Video: Head Coach, Carolyn Condit
DEKALB, Illinois - The Miami University volleyball team advanced to the Mid-American Conference Championship match for the second time in the last three seasons with a 3-1 (24-26, 25-14, 25-22, 25-20) victory over Bowling Green in the MAC Semifinals on Saturday. The RedHawks improve to 24-5 on the season, while the Falcons finish the year at 21-10.
Miami will now face either second seed Northern Illinois or third seed Ohio in the title match on Sunday. The contest will air live on ESPN3 at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. central time) with the winner of that contest receiving the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
"We just had to breathe a little bit and settle into the game, because we were a bit overhyped in the first set," said head coach Carolyn Condit. "I knew it wasn't a lack of motivation, more we just needed to find our groove."
Senior middle hitter Paige Hill led for RedHawks in double figure kills with 15. She was extremely efficient, as she made only one error in 24 attempts for an attack percentage of .583.
The defense also came through for Miami as it out-dug Bowling Green, 91-83. Junior libero Maeve McDonald led the way with 24, while senior outside hitter Maris Below set a new career-high with 23 digs. That allowed her to pass 1,000 digs for her career, becoming the 16th Miami player and only the 12th non-libero to join that prestigious club.
The setters also were a big part of the contest as they put the RedHawks in position to have a team attack percentage of .264. Sophomore setter Mackenzie Zielinski recorded a double-double with 29 assists and 14 digs. Senior setter Krista Brakauskas just missed a double-double of her own with 25 assists and nine digs.
It was a slow start for Miami as it fell behind 1-5 in set one. Hill, Below, junior middle hitter Meredith Stutz and junior right side hitter Olivia Rusek each had kills as part of a 10-5 run that put the `Hawks on top for first time at 11-10. Bowling Green tied it up, but a kill from Stutz, a block by Rusek and Hill and a kill from sophomore outside hitter Stela Kukoc made it 14-11 and forced the Falcons to call timeout. Miami eventually extended the advantage to 20-15, before a 5-1 run pulled BGSU to within one. Rusek had two straight kills to make it 23-20, but a 4-0 run by the Falcons gave them set point. Kukoc fought it off with a kill off an assist from Zielinski, but two points in a row by Bowling Green gave it a 26-24 victory.
A much better start in set two featuring two kills by junior right side hitter Katie Tomasic off assists from Brakauskas pushed Miami to a 13-9 advantage. After the Falcons scored next, a 5-2 run featuring two kills from Kukoc put the `Hawks in control at 18-12. Leading 18-13, Hill had three kills, while Below had one to make it 22-13. Kills from Tomasic and Below along with a BGSU attack error finished off a 25-14 win and sent the match into intermission tied at one set apiece.
Tied at six in set three, kills from Below and Tomasic began a 5-0 run that gave Miami some breathing room. Bowling Green eventually pulled to within two at 14-16, but three kills from Hill kept them from getting closer. Leading 20-18, a kill from Tomasic and a block by Rusek and Stutz made it 22-18. The Falcons did not give up, scoring three in a row to pull within one at 21-22. Kukoc followed with a kill, but BGSU answered right back. On the next point Below put one down, while Kukoc completed the 25-22 win with a service ace.
Two kills each from Rusek and Hill were part of an 8-1 start to set four for Miami. Tomasic had two more kills as the RedHawks took a 14-7 lead midway through the frame. The Falcons kept fighting, answering with a 7-3 run that closed them to within three at 14-17. BGSU eventually got as close as two at 19-21. At that point a Falcon attack error and a kill from Hill gave the Red and White a 23-19 advantage. After Bowling Green scored, back-to-back kills from Kukoc and Rusek finished off a 25-20 victory and sent Miami to the championship match with a 3-1 win in the match.
Rusek finished with 12 kills for Miami, while Kukoc and Tomasic each finished with 11. Hill led Miami with four blocks (one solo and three assisted), and is looking forward to the championship match.
"We just need to regroup tonight, eat right and get rest," said Hill. "This (year) is unbelievable, I can't even put words to it. This has been a great senior year and I am so thankful for my team."
