Michigan
7-2
San Diego
7-2
Wolverines Lose Five-Game Thriller to No. 20 San Diego
9/19/1998 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Albuquerque, N.M.
Score:Â #20 San Diego 3, Michigan 2 (15-5, 15-11, 13-15, 8-15, 15-12)
Team Records:Â U-M (7-2), USD (7-2)
Next Match:Â Saturday, Sept. 19 -- vs. Kent State (Albuquerque, N.M.), 5 p.m. MDT
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A terrific comeback from two games down fell just short for the University of Michigan volleyball team as the Wolverines lost a heartbreaker to 20th-ranked San Diego 5-15, 11-15, 15-13, 15-8, 12-15 in the University of New Mexico's Domino's Classic on Saturday (Sept. 19).
Extended to five games for the first time this season, Michigan won the statistical battle at the net with a 62-51 edge in kills and an 8-7 advantage in blocks. However, 14 reception errors were critical to Michigan's struggles.
Despite the loss, Linsey Ebert (Fowlerville, Mich./Fowlerville HS) provided a solid effort with an attack percentage of .389 (9-2-18) to go with a team-high five blocks. Freshman setter Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) continued her outstanding play with a Michigan season-high 41 assists.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 62 (Karen Chase 20); San Diego 51 (Petia Yanchulova 17)
Assists:Â U-M 54 (Shannon Melka 41); San Diego 41 (Katie Lindquist 36)
Service Aces: U-M 8 (three tied with 2); San Diego 14 (Debra Robertson 7)
Digs:Â U-M 86 (two tied with 12); San Diego 88 (two tied with 20)
Blocks: U-M 8 (Linsey Ebert 5); San Diego 7 (two tied with 5)
NOTES
• Shannon Melka's 41 assists are a career high.
• Michigan's only two defeats of 1998 have against top-25 opponents. The other was a four-game match against No. 19 Texas A&M.
• Michigan's 86 digs are a season high. The Wolverines' previous best was 74 against Texas A&M on Sept. 12.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Greg Giovanazzi
On Michigan's overall performance ... "As a whole, we played well. Everybody gave a solid contribution and I am happy with the effort. Particularly, (Shannon) Melka had another quality match, with 41 assists."
On extending a top 25 team to five games ... "We gave ourselves a chance to win by playing solid throughout the lineup. However, it is a little bit frustrating to have a top-20 team in that situation and not be able to close it out."
