No. 10 volleyball downs Miami for fifth straight win

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

No. 10 Mustangs Down Hurricanes For Fifth Straight Win

DALLAS (SMU) – No. 10 SMU volleyball won their fifth straight match Friday night in their four-set win over [RV] Miami at Moody Coliseum with set scores of 20-25, 25-20, 25-18, and 25-20.

The win gave the Mustangs their 20th of the season and their 12th in ACC action. SMU was led by Nnedi Okammor, earning her first career double-double with 11 kills and 11 blocks against the Hurricanes while hitting .400. Maya Tabron led the Mustangs in kills with 13 and a team-high 13 digs.

Naya Shime added nine kills and seven blocks, while Celia Cullen dished out 39 assists and was a dig shy of a double-double with nine on the night. The Mustangs matched their single match high in blocks this season with 16 collectively as a unit. SMU also hit .248 to .185 by the Hurricanes in the win.

MATCH NOTES:
Foster now has ten matches with three or more service aces this season.
Tabron notched her tenth double-double of the season.
The Mustangs logged 10+ blocks for the 13th time this season.
SMU finished with 16 kills for the second time this season, with the first being in the first match of the year against Hawaii.
SMU earned their first-ever win over the Hurricanes Friday night, evening the overall series at a game each.
The Mustangs are on their second-longest winning streak of the season (7 – Sept. 14-Oct. 6)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | Miami took the first two points of the opening set before SMU went for three straight for their first lead of the match. The Hurricanes responded with a 3-0 run of their own, a stretch that included two aces. A kill from Tabron, a block from Tabron and Okammor, and an attack error by the Hurricanes put the Mustangs back in front (7-6). Miami took back the lead and stretched it to as much as four midway through the set (17-13). After a timeout by the Mustangs, SMU secured the next three points, which cut their deficit back down to one. Miami then called a timeout and, out of the break, rallied off three more to expand their lead back to four (20-16). A kill from both middles from the Mustangs cut their deficit to two. Unfortunately, Miami collected the next three points to give them set point. Foster put one down to stop the Hurricanes run briefly, but Miami followed with a kill of their own to take the first set 25-20.

SET TWO | SMU took their largest lead of the night thus far, going up three (10-7) with a 3-0 run after the teams went even after the first 14 points of the second frame. A few rallies later, the Mustangs used another 3-0 run to increase their lead to five (15-10). Two blocks and a kill from Tabron detailed the run for the Mustangs. The club traded points until two-point errors by the Hurricanes put the Mustangs up 22-16. Miami collected three of the next four to cut their deficit from six to four, but a kill from Tabron put SMU at set point. A kill from the Hurricanes followed, but Miami couldn't play in the next serve, resulting in a 25-20 win for the Mustangs to even the match at a set each. Foster led the set for the Mustangs with five kills on seven swings. SMU dominated the second set at the net with five blocks to zero by the Hurricanes.

SET THREE | Miami took an early advantage in the third set, taking an 8-5 lead ending on a three-nothing run. SMU responded in dominant fashion a few points later with five straight, two of which were on aces from Natalie Foster. The run gave SMU a 12-9 lead, which they later stretched to six on a 4-0 run. Okammor made her presence felt during the stretch with two blocks and a kill. Miami cut their deficit to four, collecting four of the following six points, but three straight by the Ponies put the set out of reach. SMU went on to win the frame 25-18 to go up 2-1 in the match. Okammor led the Mustangs with five kills on six swings in the third set.

SET FOUR | The Hurricanes came out swinging again in the fourth set, holding a 9-8 lead before another massive run by the Mustangs gave them some cushion. SMU's run was five straight to put them up 13-9. Tabron had two kills and a block to lead the Mustangs during the run. Miami made things interesting late in the set, surging back within one thanks to a 4-0 run before a block from Okammor and Cullen halted the squeeze momentarily. Miami then collected the following two points to even the score a 20-all. However, the Mustangs would not be denied, answering with the final five points to close the match with a 25-20 set four win. Tabron notched five kills in the final set and the Mustangs held Miami to a .088 hitting percentage, their lowest of the match.

SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Maya Tabron (13)
SMU Assist Leader: Celia Cullen (39)
SMU Digs Leader: Maya Tabron (13)
SMU Blocks Leader: Nnedi Okammor (11)
SMU Ace Leader: Natalie Foster (4)

UP NEXT:
SMU Volleyball will host #22 Florida State on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. CT, airing on ACCNX.