The Miami University RedHawks (6-9, 0-4 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play) lost both matches against the Eastern Michigan University Eagles (10-9, 4-1 in MAC play) last weekend. These two losses continue the RedHawks’ five-game losing streak.
Miami lost in straight sets on Oct. 4. In each set, the RedHawks kept close with the Eagles but slipped in the final minutes.
Throughout the first set, the Eagles held the lead by no more than three points. The RedHawks finally tied the set 15-15 with a kill from sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Williams, but the Eagles took another two-point lead.
Up 20-19, the Eagles scored four straight points off kills from senior defensive specialist Hannah Blaney and junior middle blocker Kendal Bonney and two attack errors from Miami. First-year opposite hitter Ana Vetter got the RedHawks to 20 with a kill, but junior middle blocker Abby Stanford gave the first set to the Eagles 25-20.
Five straight points set the RedHawks up with a solid lead in the second set. An attack error from redshirt junior outside hitter Ava Francis gave the Eagles one, but multiple errors from Eastern Michigan gave the RedHawks a 8-1 lead.
In response, the Eagles went on a 7-3 run to bring the score to 11-8. They took the lead after scoring five straight. Two kills from graduate student setter Maddie Stayer gave the Eagles a 14-13 advantage.
A service ace from sophomore setter Ella Voorhees brought the score to 20-16. Eastern Michigan went on another scoring streak after three attack errors from Miami and a kill from Stanford.
First-year middle blocker Anna Guard gave the Eagles the second set 25-19.
Miami continued to lose momentum by allowing the Eagles to take a 5-2 lead early in the third set. Three kills, including two from sophomore outside hitter Ava Siefke, and a service ace by Guard gave Eastern Michigan a 14-7 lead.
Vetter started a comeback down 24-19 with a kill. An attack error from Strayer and another kill from Vetter brought Miami to 21. However, Siefke earned her third kill of the set to give the Eagles a 3-0 victory in the first game.
The conference opponents met again on Oct. 5 in a lengthy back-and-forth that ended after five sets.
An attack error by Guard gave Miami a 10-6 lead in the first set. Three straight points brought the RedHawks up 13-7.
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A four-point run, including kills from Williams and junior middle hitter Gentry Warrick brought Miami up 20-13. Later in the set, a kill from junior outside hitter Ellie Hanson set the RedHawks up 23-15.
Eastern Michigan attempted to comeback with a 5-1 run, but an attack error from Siefke handed Miami its first set of the weekend 25-20.
At the start of the second set, the Eagles took a 6-2 lead. However, back-to-back service aces from Warrick and a kill from sophomore outside hitter Raegan Lantz tipped the set back towards Miami 11-8.
The game was even throughout the middle of the set. The Eagles tied it up 11-11, eventually taking a 15-14 lead, but the RedHawks took it back 20-18.
Vetter brought them within one point of taking the second set, and a kill by Williams gave the RedHawks a 2-0 lead in the matchup.
The Eagles went down 6-3 at the start of the third set, but a 7-1 run gave them the upper hand 10-7. This set the tone for the rest of the set, as the RedHawks didn’t take another lead.
Miami tied it up 18-18, but the Eagles scored four straight to set themselves up 24-19. Siefke ensured their victory with a kill, taking the third set 25-20.
A kill from Francis brought the score to 9-7 in favor of Miami at the start of the fourth set. The Eagles went on multiple three-point runs while holding the RedHawks to minimal points, giving Eastern Michigan a 16-13 lead.
Three attack errors from the Eagles kept Miami in the set 21-20; however, the Eagles went 4-0, including two service aces from Voorhees, to get them to 24. A kill from Stanford gave the Eagles the fourth set 25-22.
A disastrous start to the fifth set saw Eastern Michigan take a 6-0 lead. The team continued this trend, scoring on every other play and taking two straight to go up 12-5. A service error from Hanson set the Eagles up 14-7, and an attack error from Vetter gave Eastern Michigan the fifth set 15-7.
The RedHawks have lost five straight games after losing to Northern Kentucky University at the Northern Kentucky Invitational and dropping both games against Central Michigan University.
The Ball State University Cardinals visit Millett for a single-game matchup on Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The Cardinals are coming off back-to-back losses against Central Michigan. Both of those matchups went to five sets.
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