Break out the brooms: Volleyball sweeps MAC openers

The wheels and wins kept rolling all weekend for the RedHawks.

The Red & White drove 242 miles to sweep Akron 3-0 on Friday, zipped 219 miles to Buffalo for another 3-0 victory on Saturday, before rounding out the trip with a 450 mile bend back to Oxford where the 'Hawks now hold a record of 10-4 (2-0 Mid-American Conference).

"They were very determined together and they competed hard for every single point of every single set," head coach Carolyn Condit said. "It was wonderful to win on the road as we first start out the MAC race and to do it in three sets each - it certainly helped us feel more ready. "

Condit says the tough non-conference schedule prepared the team for the pressure of MAC play.

"We've seen better opponents," Condit said. "I just felt like I knew they were prepared and I was very impressed how poised the team was."

Miami showed flashes of how dangerous they will be in-conference. Junior middle hitter Margaret Payne recorded a double-double with 13 kills and a career high 11 blocks against Buffalo, while freshman Corinne Jemison put down 10 kills against Buffalo after adding seven on Friday.

Defensively, sophomore libero Abigail Huser led the team in digs in both matches with 26 over the span of the weekend.

"[Huser] could have had more, but we were blocking so well," Condit said.

As a team, Miami ranks second in kills and hitting percentage allowed in the MAC, something Condit says shows how smart the team plays defensively. Condit thinks the team's defensive play will help carry the team going forward.

The road ahead only gets tougher as Miami faces Bowling Green State University (8-7) and preseason favorite Ohio University (7-8) in the next two weeks. Both experienced teams took their first two conference games.

"We are definitely going to be underdogs from an experience standpoint, but I think if we just play in the moment and control our side, I don't think there is a limit to where we can go this year," Condit says.

The RedHawks return to the hardwood Thursday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at Bowling Green. The match will be televised on ESPN3.