Recap: Volleyball finishes 1-1 at Northern Kentucky Invitational

The Miami University RedHawks finished their non-conference section of the 2024 volleyball season last weekend at the Northern Kentucky Invitational. The RedHawks went 1-1, concluding the weekend with a loss to the Northern Kentucky University Norse.

Miami opened with a victory against the Xavier University Musketeers on Sept. 20. The RedHawks last faced the Musketeers at home in 2022. Xavier squeezed out a win, taking three straight sets after being down 2-0.

In the recent matchup, the Musketeers took an early lead in the first set 7-3, but after a service error, Miami went on a six-point run to take the lead. Three kills from redshirt junior outside hitter Ava Francis sparked the run. After two attack errors from redshirt first-year middle blocker Margo Kemp, a kill from junior middle hitter Gentry Warrick brought the RedHawks up 10-7.

The teams went back and forth in the first set, and the RedHawks found themselves up 23-17. A service error from Xavier’s first-year outside hitter, Charlotte Moriarty, brought Miami one point from taking the set. A service ace from Warrick sealed it for Miami.

The second set remained close, with the RedHawks up 22-20 toward the end. First-year opposite hitter Ana Vetter earned her 76th kill of the season, and with senior libero Margo Lawson’s service ace, Miami held the lead 24-20.

Miami gave up a point with a service error from Lawson, but an attack error by Xavier redshirt junior outside hitter Anna Taylor gave the RedHawks the second set 25-21.

Neither team held onto a lead for long throughout the third set until three straight points from RedHawks gave them a 16-13 lead. Before long, Miami turned that into a 22-16 lead after two kills from sophomore outside hitter Raegan Lantz and Vetter, along with an attack error from Taylor, gave the RedHawks a three-point run.

Warrick sealed the game with a kill to take the third set 25-17 and the first match of the invitational.

The RedHawks returned to the court on Sept. 21 against the Norse. The two teams last met in 2021 in a matchup that ended with Miami’s seventh loss of the season.

Miami took a 16-13 lead deep into the first set. Vetter brought in five points (three kills and two service aces). The Norse responded with a 9-1 run to take the lead 22-14, only giving up a point to a service error.

A brief comeback brought the RedHawks within three points of the Norse, but a kill from sophomore outside hitter Ava Hoying secured the first set for Northern Kentucky.

A tie in the second set kept the RedHawks alive, but four straight points for the Norse, including two kills from senior outside hitter Joy Banks, brought the score to 16-12. Miami brought the score to 21-19 thanks to a kill by Francis and an attack error on the Norse.

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Northern Kentucky approached the finish line with two more points. Despite making it to 21, Miami lost the second set after a service ace from first-year setter Lainey Green.

The Norse took a 12-5 lead in the third set. They kept the momentum, scoring eight while holding the RedHawks to five. Miami mustered up four more points, but an attack error from Lantz gave Northern Kentucky the third set 25-14.

Miami’s win and loss gave it a 6-5 record going into Mid-American Conference (MAC) play. The RedHawks will play in Oxford for the first time against the Central Michigan University Chippewas on Sept. 26 and 27 to open conference play.

Game time is set for 6:30 p.m. on both days.

@thekethan04

babukc2@miamioh.edu