Michigan
17-10, 7-9Big Ten
Ohio State
21-4, 11-4Big Ten
Michigan Stays Hot, Sweeps 13th-Ranked Buckeyes
11/10/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Result:Â Michigan 3, #13 Ohio State 0 (15-13, 15-9, 15-9)
Records:Â U-M (17-10, 7-9 Big Ten), OSU (21-4, 11-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match:Â Friday, Nov. 17 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 7 p.m. CST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team remained one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten Conference as the Wolverines dumped their fourth straight conference opponent and second straight ranked foe with a three-game sweep (15-13, 15-9, 15-9) of No. 13 Ohio State tonight (Friday, Nov. 10) before the home crowd at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines amassed a season-best 14 team blocks, with middle blockers Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian HS) and Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) in on 12 rejections combined in the victory.
Michigan jumped on the Buckeyes early in game one and rattled off a 6-2 run behind blocks from Moore, Lehman, senior Sarah Behnke (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore HS) and senior Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS). The run allowed Michigan to gain its biggest advantage of the game at 7-3. Ohio State, however, responded with an 8-3 run of its own to reclaim the lead at 11-10. A pair of kills and an ace from Pittenger, who hit .364 (5-1-11) in game one, put the Wolverines back on top, and after another ace from Lehman, the Wolverines were at game point with a 14-11 lead. Following a pair of points from Ohio State, block assists from Behnke and Moore gave Michigan a 15-13 game-one victory.
The Buckeyes and Wolverines traded runs of three and six, respectively, to begin game three, and after block assists from freshmen Moore and Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove HS), the Wolverines found themselves up 6-3. Ohio State came back to tie the game at six and the two teams traded the next four points before Michigan took the game-two lead for good at 9-8.
Michigan maintained a small amount of control throughout game two with its best hitting percentage of the match, .267 (18-6-45). Michigan pushed its lead to 12-8 after two of Behnke's five game-two kills, prompting an Ohio State timeout. The Buckeyes cut the margin to three at 12-9, but that was as close as they would get in game two after kills from Behnke and Moore combined with an Ohio State hitting error gave Michigan its final three points and a 15-9 game-two win.
Michigan came out in game three determined not to let Ohio State back in the match, and after a 2-1 Buckeye lead, Michigan ran off five straight buoyed by a kill from Lehman and an ace from junior Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS). Ohio State was not ready to concede victory and came right back to tie the score at six, which led to a Michigan timeout. The Wolverines came out of the timeout and began a run of four consecutive points, with two of Reedus' six game-three kills.
Ohio State attempted to slow the Wolverines down, but after scoring just one point, Michigan went back to work. A Lehman kill and three errors from Ohio State put the Maize and Blue at match point, which was taken care of on Behnke's Michigan match-best 15th kill. The Wolverines' 15-9 game-three decision gave Michigan a 3-0 match win and its 17th victory of the season, bettering last season's win total (16) with four regular-season matches to play.
Michigan returns to Big Ten action next Friday (Nov. 17) with a match at the University of Iowa at 7 p.m. CST.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 58 (Sarah Behnke 15); OSU 59 (Sue Calligaris 15)
Assists: U-M 56 (Shannon Melka 47); OSU 54 (Katie Virtue 44)
Service Aces: U-M 4 (Four players with 1); OSU 3 (Three players with 1)
Digs: U-M 63 (Chantel Reedus 16); OSU 69 (Shelly Draeger 20)
Blocks: U-M 14 (Katrina Lehman 7); OSU 10 (Dana Stearns 7)
NOTES
• Michigan has now won four straight Big Ten matches for the first time since beating Minnesota, Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan State (Sept. 26-Oct. 3, 1997) in succession to open the 1997 Big Ten season.
• Michigan's win over No. 13 Ohio State tonight combined with its win over No. 25 Michigan State on Wednesday (Nov. 8) are the first back-to-back Michigan wins over ranked opponents since Michigan began keeping that record in 1996.
• Michigan has now beaten Ohio State at home in two straight matches for the first in the history of the series.
• Chantel Reedus' 16 digs tonight is a career best.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the match in general ... "This is a big win for us, especially because we played so well against one of the better teams in the country. We are playing with great confidence right now and we are beginning to peak at the best time of the year. The team we have on the floor right now is the best we have had all year, and I think we have found the right combination."
On the beating two straight ranked opponents ... "That is important in terms of our confidence and in terms of catching the attention of some people around the country."
