Michigan
12-8, 4-7Big Ten
Iowa
4-14, 3-8Big Ten
Wolverines Get Back on Track with Sweep of Iowa
10/29/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena)
Result:Â Michigan 3, Iowa 0 (15-8, 15-2, 15-10)
Records:Â U-M (12-8, 4-7 Big Ten), Iowa (4-14, 3-8 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match:Â Saturday, Oct. 30 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.) 7 p.m. CDT
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Michigan volleyball team delivered its best attack percentage -- .276 (44-15-105) -- of Big Ten Conference play on its way to a three-game sweep (15-8, 15-2, 15-10) of Iowa Friday (Oct. 29) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Wolverines' front line also held Iowa to a hitting percentage of .096 (35-24-114) as Michigan won in three games for only the second time in the Big Ten season.
Michigan took control of game one early behind three service aces from junior outside hitter Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS) and raced to a 5-1 lead. Iowa scored the first point of the game, but Pittenger actually served seven straight Michigan points for a 7-1 Wolverine lead. Iowa, however, returned the favor by registering the next five points to gain momentum and cut Michigan's lead to 7-6. An ace from sophomore setter Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) and a solo block from Pittenger gave the Wolverines a 12-7 lead and led to an Iowa timeout. Michigan came out of the timeout strong and put game one away with a 15-8 win. Michigan hit .333 (19-6-39) as a team in game one and was led by junior outside hitter Sarah Behnke (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore HS), who hit at a clip of .625 (6-1-8).
Michigan again gained early control of a game as they earned a 5-1 lead early in game two. Following a solo block from sophomore outside hitter Nicole Kacor (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley HS), Iowa called a timeout with the Wolverines leading 7-2. Michigan proceeded to pull away with efficient attacking, hitting .333 (10-1-27) for the game. The Wolverines' attacking and blocking dominated the remainder of game two. Michigan led 13-2 when they put the Hawkeyes away with a kill from Melka and solo block from Kacor to register a 15-2 win and take a two-game lead in the match. In addition to solid attacking from Kacor, who had 10 kills in the first two games combined, Melka also began to connect with middle blocker Joanna Fielder (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS), who led the Wolverines with a four game-two kills.
Despite having control of the match, Michigan struggled out of intermission as Iowa grabbed a 6-2 lead and forced Wolverine head coach Mark Rosen to use his first timeout of the match. Michigan's struggles continued out of the timeout and Iowa widened its lead to 9-4 before the Maize and Blue was forced to use another timeout. This time the Wolverines gained momentum out of the break and cut Iowa's lead to two at 10-8. Behind senior Maggie Cooper's (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern HS) serve, which included an ace, Michigan rattled off the next four points to take a 12-10 lead, its first of game three. From there Pittenger finished the match like she started and served Michigan's final three points to give Michigan a 15-10 win and three-game match victory.
Michigan closes out its four-match road stretch at No. 23 Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 30 (7 p.m. CDT).
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 44 (Nicole Kacor 14); Iowa 35 (Julie Willams 19)
Assists: U-M 42 (Shannon Melka 37); Iowa 33 (Larissa Lopes 28)
Service Aces: U-M 7 (Alija Pittenger 5); Iowa 1 (Ornelas Evelena 1)
Digs: U-M 41 (Kacor 14); Iowa 30 (Natalie Ries 10)
Blocks: U-M 7 (Kacor 3); Iowa 9 (Bridget Frideres 7)
NOTES
• Alija Pittenger, who registered a Michigan season-best five service aces, delivered four of them in game one. Five aces is also a new career high for Pittenger.
• Michigan's win over Iowa was its sixth in the two teams' last seven meetings. The all-time series record between Michigan and Iowa is now knotted at 17 matches apiece.
• Nicole Kacor recorded her fourth straight double-double in kills (14) and digs (14).
