Toledo, Ohio— The Toledo women's volleyball team dropped its Friday night match to the Miami RedHawks, 3-0 (25-16, 25-10, 25-22). The Rockets had won three straight Mid-American Conference matches prior to tonight.
Three players wearing Midnight Blue and Gold tallied double-digits in digs on Friday:
Maurissa Leonard (a match-high 26),
Andrea Stephenson (18), and
Carly Townsend (10). Townsend also had 25 assists to lead all comers, while
Annie Beasley had a team-high six kills and
Rachel Vidourek had five.
The RedHawks led for the majority of the match, and didn't trail at all in the second set, on their way to handing UT its fourth conference loss of the season.
Next up for Toledo is a Saturday match with rival Bowling Green. The Rockets and Falcons face off at 5:30 p.m. at Savage Arena.
First Set: Toledo tallied the first two points of the match to take an early lead thanks to a Miami attacking error and a kill from
Chloee Kleespies. The Rockets and RedHawks traded points in the opening stages of the first set, but eventually Miami took control and did not let go. With the score tied at 7-7, the RedHawks accounted for nine of the next 12 points to jump ahead 16-10. UT would cut that deficit to four, 16-12, thanks to consecutive kills from
Saige Thomas and Beasley, but that was as close as they would come. In the end, Miami won the first set 25-16.
Second Set: Miami dominated the second set, jumping out to a 15-2 lead that included 12 straight points. Toledo never led in the second frame and the Rockets trailed 23-5 at one point, but they did score five of six points near the end of the set.
Rhyen Neal had two straight service aces at the end of the second frame. A final kill by Miami made the score 25-10 and put the Rockets behind 2-0.
Third Set: The final set of the night was also the closest of the three that were played. Miami came out firing, taking an early 3-0 lead. This time it was the Rockets, though, who scored points in bunches. Toledo scored nine of the next 12 points to take a 9-6 lead. Four different Rockets registered kills during that stretch and Beasley fired in a service ace that energized the crowd at Savage Arena. Miami, not to be outdone, scored the next seven points to go ahead 16-13. UT would not regain the lead again, though a late run made the score 23-22.
Zoe Birnbrich had three late terminations to bring the Rockets within one, but in the end the RedHawks were able to put away the set and the match to win 25-22.
