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7-8, 1-2MAC
Miami (OH)
5-11, 0-3MAC
Bulls Pick Up First Conference Win With Sweep Of Miami
9/28/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo volleyball team kept up its stellar play at Alumni Arena on Friday night as UB won its first Mid-American Conference match of the season, defeating Miami, 3-0. The win was UB's fifth straight at home and the Bulls have now taken 10 straight sets at home against their competition. The Bulls also improve to 7-8 on the year and 1-2 in the MAC.
The Bulls took the match 27-25, 25-23, 25-23 as they outhit the RedHawks, .145 to .104. UB had to come back in each of the first two sets as neither team was able to take large advantages in the match. Miami was up late in the first set 19-15, but the Bulls scored four straight points thanks to freshman Akeila Lain who registered a block and kill during the run. Each team then had a set point and the Bulls trailed 25-24 before scoring the final three points of the set. Two of those points came off Dana Musil kills, while the third was a block from Musil and Lain giving Buffalo the opening set.
The Bulls got out to a 14-9 lead in the second set, but Miami came back, taking a late lead at 22-20. However, Buffalo ended the set on a 5-1 run, capped off on a pair of kills from Lain in the middle. UB led for the majority of the third set, but Miami was able to keep it close and tie it up late at 23-23. The Bulls responded with back-to-back kills from Musil and Lain to clinch the set and the match.
"At times I thought it was a little sloppy on both sides of the net, but I am proud of the way our kids hung in there and gutted out the win," said head coach Todd Kress. "We got a lot of great contributions tonight especially from our middles, who I think played their best match of the season."
The Bulls were led by their pair of middles, who combined for 25 kills and six errors on 43 attempts, hitting .442 on the night. Junior Carissa McKenna had another outstanding evening against the RedHawks as she recorded a career-high 15 kills. McKenna's previous high was 11, which she set against Miami last season. The West Bloomfield, MI native added three blocks. Lain finished with 10 kills and just two errors, while adding to her league-leading blocking total with six, including one solo. Musil added seven kills, while freshman Tahleia Bishop finished with six. Junior Dani Reinert led the offense with 36 assists, adding seven digs as well.
Defensively, Buffalo was led by 16 digs from Kelly Svoboda and nine from sophomore Liz Scott. Six different players recorded at least one block in the contest.
The Bulls remain home tomorrow evening when they host Bowling Green in Alumni Arena. The Falcons are coming off a 3-0 win at Akron tonight and are the only team undefeated in conference play in the MAC East.
