Miami Survives Five-Set Thriller Over Ole Miss

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team (5-1) came out victorious in a five-set matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels (3-3) on Wednesday night in the Knight Sports Complex.

The Hurricanes tallied 55 kills, 51 digs, 14 blocks and six aces. Senior Flormarie Heredia Colon led the team with 26 kills, senior Dalia Wilson had 10 blocks, redshirt sophomore Ariana Rodriguez tallied 46 assists, and senior Naylani Feliciano notched 16 digs.

Miami opened the match on fire, turning an early 4-1 deficit in the first set into a 12-7 lead behind junior Ava Carney’s kills and Wilson’s blocks. Heredia Colon added key swings to close out a 25-18 first-set win. In the second set, Rodriguez’s serving run and Heredia Colon’s steady offense gave the Hurricanes a 12-10 cushion. Naylani Feliciano’s ace and back-row defense extended the gap, and Carney sealed it 25-20 for a 2-0 set lead.

Ole Miss fought back in the third, taking advantage of Miami errors to go up 14-10. Despite a late push from graduate student Jazmin Vergara and Heredia Colon, the Rebels held on 25–20. The fourth set swung back and forth. Freshman Simone Baskin’s block with Wilson and kills around the court had Miami ahead 20-13, but a long serving run from the Rebels erased the margin, forcing extra points. Miami dropped the set and sent the match to a fifth.

In the deciding set, Heredia Colon opened with two quick kills, then Vergara and Wilson teamed up for a block that made it 7-4. Miami maintained its composure down the stretch, with Carney and Baskin setting up Heredia Colon for the match winner at 15-13.

Miami will hit the road for their first road trip of the season, heading to Normal, Ill., for the Linda Herman Classic on Friday.