
Bulls Roll Past Miami To Start 2-0 In League Play
9/25/2021 6:35:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo volleyball team dominated from start to finish on Saturday afternoon as the Bulls swept Miami, 3-0, to remain perfect in league play. The Bulls, who have won three straight, are now 9-5 on the season and 2-0 in league play. This is the first time the Bulls have swept the season series from Miami (OH) since 2013 and it is also just the third time ever UB has opened MAC play 2-0.
UB took the match, 25-22, 25-21, 25-16 as the Bulls outhit Miami, .368 to .204. UB had just four errors combined in the final two sets as the Bulls hit .448 in the second and third.
In the opening set, the Bulls led 9-8 when UB went on a 5-1 run, using a block from Emma Gielas and Courtney Okwara to take a 14-9 lead. A kill from Okwara extended the Buffalo advantage to 18-11, but Miami would fight back, pulling within two late. Buffalo was able to clinch the set on a kill from Maria Futey, giving the Bulls the early lead.
UB trailed 8-7 early in the second, but an 8-2 run put UB on top, as a kill from Milla Malik put the Bulls ahead 15-10. As in the opening set, the RedHawks would pull within two late, but a kill from Malik clinched the set, giving Buffalo the 2-0 lead.
Buffalo took the early 7-6 advantage in the third set and extended it to 13-8 on a kill from Okwara. The RedHawks would pull within four late at 20-16, but those would be Miami's final points as the Bulls scored the final five points to take the set and the match.
Okwara led all players with 14 kills as she had zero errors on 23 swings, hitting .609 for the contest. Malik added 12 kills and hit .300, while Gielas had nine kills and Futey added six. Olivia DeBortoli had five kills and Mandy Leigh finished with three.
Leigh dished out 37 assists, to go along with a service ace, four digs, and two blocks.
Defensively, the Bulls had two players in double figures in digs as Hannah Jacoby and Kyndal Bacon each finished with 10. Malik added eight and Futey had six.
The Bulls had 10.0 blocks, led by seven from Gielas and five from Okwara.
Buffalo will head to the road next weekend for a pair of matches with Bowling Green, the only other MAC East team to open 2-0 this weekend.
UB took the match, 25-22, 25-21, 25-16 as the Bulls outhit Miami, .368 to .204. UB had just four errors combined in the final two sets as the Bulls hit .448 in the second and third.
In the opening set, the Bulls led 9-8 when UB went on a 5-1 run, using a block from Emma Gielas and Courtney Okwara to take a 14-9 lead. A kill from Okwara extended the Buffalo advantage to 18-11, but Miami would fight back, pulling within two late. Buffalo was able to clinch the set on a kill from Maria Futey, giving the Bulls the early lead.
UB trailed 8-7 early in the second, but an 8-2 run put UB on top, as a kill from Milla Malik put the Bulls ahead 15-10. As in the opening set, the RedHawks would pull within two late, but a kill from Malik clinched the set, giving Buffalo the 2-0 lead.
Buffalo took the early 7-6 advantage in the third set and extended it to 13-8 on a kill from Okwara. The RedHawks would pull within four late at 20-16, but those would be Miami's final points as the Bulls scored the final five points to take the set and the match.
Okwara led all players with 14 kills as she had zero errors on 23 swings, hitting .609 for the contest. Malik added 12 kills and hit .300, while Gielas had nine kills and Futey added six. Olivia DeBortoli had five kills and Mandy Leigh finished with three.
Leigh dished out 37 assists, to go along with a service ace, four digs, and two blocks.
Defensively, the Bulls had two players in double figures in digs as Hannah Jacoby and Kyndal Bacon each finished with 10. Malik added eight and Futey had six.
The Bulls had 10.0 blocks, led by seven from Gielas and five from Okwara.
Buffalo will head to the road next weekend for a pair of matches with Bowling Green, the only other MAC East team to open 2-0 this weekend.
Team Stats
Miami
UB
Kills
40
49
Errors
18
10
Attempts
108
106
Hitting %
.204
.368
Points
46
63
Assists
40
42
Aces
1
4
Blocks
5
10
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Players Mentioned
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