Michigan
6-1
South Carolina
5-4
Wolverines Pull Out Five-Game Thriller at South Carolina
9/17/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Columbia, S.C. (Volleyball Competition Facility)
Result:Â #21 Michigan 3, South Carolina 2 (11-15, 10-15, 17-15, 16-14, 15-11)
Records:Â U-M (6-1), USC (5-4)
Next U-M Match:Â Saturday, Sept. 18 -- vs. Virginia at Carolina Classic (Columbia, S.C.), noon
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- In a match the Wolverines may look back on in a couple of months as one of the most important of the season, the University of Michigan volleyball team fought off six match points in games three and four to come back from two games down and defeat South Carolina 3-2 (11-15, 10-15, 17-15, 16-14, 15-11) in its own Carolina Classic Friday night (Sept. 17). The Maize and Blue was paced by a career match from sophomore middle blocker Annie Maxwell (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS), who registered career highs in kills (15), digs (11) and blocks (seven).
The No. 21 Wolverines began slowly as South Carolina jumped out to a 7-1 lead early in game. A great service game, which included a pair of jump servers, by the Gamecocks led to a poor passing game from Michigan in game one. As a result, the Wolverines managed a hitting percentage of .000 (8-8-32) and South Carolina took game one 15-11.
Game two proved much tighter from the beginning as Nicole Kacor (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley HS) began to assert herself offensively. Kacor led Michigan with eight kills through the first two games. Behind Kacor and improved defensive play, Michigan trailed just 12-10 late in game two before South Carolina pulled away for a 15-10 win and a commanding two-game lead in the match.
Michigan came out of intermission like a new team and quickly took control of game three with a 10-3 lead. While Maxwell and Kacor, who hit .419 (15-2-31) and .438 (25-4-48), respectively, for the match, continued to produce offensively, the Wolverines also received a great service effort from Anne Poglits (West Bloomfield, Mich./Livonia Ladywood HS). Poglits registered two consecutive aces during Michigan's run to a 10-3 lead. However, South Carolina chipped away at Michigan's lead and eventually took a 15-14 edge before Michigan staved off two match points and won the game 17-15.
South Carolina seemed to regain control of the match early in game four and steadily led throughout the game. After the Gamecocks took a 14-9 lead in game four, sophomore setter Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) served a couple consecutive Michigan points. Following a key side-out Maxwell served out the match amid several kills from herself, Kacor and junior middle blocker Joanna Fielder (Costa Mesa Calif./Newport Harbor HS).
Playing in its first fifth game of the season, Michigan jumped out to a 4-1 lead and never looked back as a couple blocks from Maxwell and Poglits keyed the Wolverine rally. Michigan eventually won the game 15-11 to capture one of the biggest road wins in recent memory.
Due to Hurricane Floyd, the University of Connecticut was unable to make the trip to the Carolina Classic. As a result the tournament schedule was reshuffled and Michigan will play its final contest of the tournament vs. the University of Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 18, at noon. Michigan's match vs. Connecticut, which was scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 18), has been canceled.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 70 (Nicole Kacor 25); USC 85 (Crystal Moore, Berna Dwyer 20)
Assists: U-M 54 (Shannon Melka 51); USC 69 (Megan Hosp 64)
Service Aces: U-M 13 (Alija Pittenger, Anne Poglits 3); USC 13 (Cathy Plummer 5)
Digs: U-M 81 (Pittenger 18); USC 92 (Moore 21)
Blocks: U-M 13 (Annie Maxwell 7); USC 15 (Danika Taylor 11)
NOTES
• Nicole Kacor's 25 kills is a career high as well as a team high for 1999.
• Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS) led Michigan in digs (19) for the fourth time this season.
• Michigan's 13 service aces is a season high.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On Michigan's comeback win ... "This is huge win for us on the road against a very quality opponent. For us to come down here to a hostile arena and not play our best, yet come away with a victory tells me a lot about this team. Add that to the fact that we were down big and had to hold off several match points against us makes me very proud of this group of individuals."
