Michigan
8-3, 1-2Big Ten
Wisconsin
9-4, 2-1Big Ten
Wolverines Swept in Big Ten Battle at Wisconsin
10/1/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin Field House)
Result:Â #20 Wisconsin 3, #18 Michigan 0 (15-9, 15-4, 16-14)
Records:Â U-M (8-3, 1-2 Big Ten), UW (9-4, 2-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match:Â Saturday, Oct. 2 -- at Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.), 7 p.m. CDT
MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 20 Wisconsin Badgers capped off a third-game rally to hand the No. 18 University of Michigan volleyball team its second Big Ten Conference loss as they swept the Wolverines in three games (15-9, 15-4, 16-14) Friday (Oct. 1).
After taking the first two games of the match, the Badgers fell down to the Wolverines 13-7 in game three, but Wisconsin (9-4, 2-1 Big Ten) swung the momentum back in its direction and rallied for nine of the last 10 points scored to seal the game three victory 16-14 and the match in three straight.
The Wolverines (8-3, 1-2 Big Ten) outblocked the Badgers 12-8, but costly hitting errors plagued the Wolverines as they finished the match with a team hitting percentage of .090 compared to the Badgers' .270 percentage.
In game one, the Wolverines and Badgers exchanged sideouts to even the game at 8-8 before Wisconsin pulled away with five straight points and won the game on a Wolverine hitting error. In game two, the Wolverines could not get back on track after collecting four early points. Michigan's 13 hitting errors cost them as the Badgers, who hit .424 in the second game, rolled off 11 straight points to close out game two.
Junior Sarah Behnke (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore HS) recorded season highs in kills and digs, finishing the match with a double-double of 10 kills and a team-leading 15 digs. She also chipped in two block assists. Sophomore Nicole Kacor (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley HS) led the Wolverines with 14 kills and added 10 digs and three block assists. Fellow sophomore Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) continued her solid play as the setter as she recorded 41 assists.
Michigan continues its Big Ten road weekend with a 7 p.m. CDT stop at Purdue University Saturday (Oct. 2) in West Lafayette, Ind.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 46 (Nicole Kacor 14); Wisconsin 58 (Jenny Maastricht 17)
Assists: U-M 43 (Shannon Melka 41); Wisconsin 43 (Lizzy Fitzgerald 32)
Service Aces: U-M 2 (Joanna Fielder 1, Sarah Behnke 1); Wisconsin 1 (Morgan Shields)
Digs: U-M 61 (Sarah Behnke 15); Wisconsin 63 (Allyson Ross 17)
Blocks: U-M 12 (Annie Maxwell 6); Wisconsin 8 (Sherisa Livingston 4)
