Michigan
12-12, 4-10Big Ten
Minnesota
16-9, 6-8Big Ten
Michigan Cannot Sustain Strong Start at No. 23 Minnesota
11/7/1998 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Minneapolis, Minn.
Result:Â #23 Minnesota 3, Michigan 1 (5-15, 15-6, 15-6, 15-2)
Records:Â U-M (12-12, 4-10 Big Ten), Minnesota (16-9, 6-8 Big Ten)
Next Match:Â Friday, Nov. 13 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 7 p.m. CST
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team won the first game against Minnesota but could not sustain the momentum as the visiting Wolverines fell to 23rd-ranked Golden Gophers in four games (15-5, 6-15, 6-15, 2-15) on Saturday (Nov. 7), dropping Michigan's record against top-25 teams to 1-8.
A strong game one performance included a hitting percentage of .290 (12-3-31) for the Wolverines, who were led by Karen Chase (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte HS). Chase led the Michigan attackers with 14 kills and a impressive attack percentage of .414 (14-2-29) for the match.
After recording 12 kills in game one, Michigan was only able to muster 17 in the next three games. Minnesota's attacking was the difference as the Golden Gophers registered 54 kills to only 29 for the Maize and Blue. Sophomore middle blocker Joanna Fielder (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) contributed six blocks as the Wolverines out-blocked Minnesota 10-8.
The loss puts Michigan at 12-12 on the season, which is the first time Michigan has dropped to .500 on the campaign.
MATCH BESTS
Kills:Â U-M 29 (Karen Chase 14); Minnesota 54 (Nicole Branagh 21)
Assists:Â U-M 27 (Shannon Melka 13); Minnesota 53 (Lindsey Berg 38)
Service Aces:Â U-M 6 (Shannon Melka-Jane Stevens 2); Minnesota 12 (Nicole Branagh 3)
Digs:Â U-M 37 (Jane Stevens 12); Minnesota 45 (Nicole Branagh 13)
Blocks:Â U-M 10 (Joanna Fielder 6); Minnesota 8 (Heather Baxter 5)
NOTES
• Freshman middle blocker Annie Maxwell (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) made her first start as a Wolverine and compiled a career-high four blocks.
• Jane Stevens (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou HS) led the Wolverines in digs with 12. She also notched four blocks on the match, which is her second-highest total of the season.
• Michigan is 1-8 this year against ranked teams. The one win was a three-game sweep of then-22nd Minnesota on Oct. 9 in Ann Arbor.
