Michigan
14-10, 4-9Big Ten
Purdue
11-14, 3-10Big Ten
Freshmen Lead Wolverines to Home Sweep of Purdue
11/3/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Result:Â Michigan 3, Purdue 0 (15-5, 15-5, 15-9)
Records:Â U-M (14-10, 4-9 Big Ten), PU (11-14, 3-10 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match:Â Saturday, Nov. 4 -- vs. Illinois (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team snapped a four-match losing streak with a three-game sweep (15-5, 15-5, 15-9) over Purdue tonight (Friday, Nov. 3) in front of the home crowd at Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan sizzled at the net as the Maize and Blue hit a season-best .402 (55-12-107) for the match, led by freshmen Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Tiffin HS) and Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove HS). The pair combined to hit .500 (28-6-44) for the match, with Reedus registering 15 kills and Moore collecting 13 to go along with a match-best five blocks.
Michigan got off to a quick start in game one off the strong service game of senior Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS), with the Wolverines scoring six straight points to open the match. During the 6-0 run Pittenger notched an ace, while Reedus and Moore combined for a key block. Following a Purdue timeout, the Wolverine attack was slowed down a little bit as the Boilermakers cut the deficit to four at 8-4.
Michigan, however, quickly regained its momentum and closed out game one on a 7-1 run behind a team hitting percentage of .400 (16-4-30). The 15-5 game-one Michigan win was paced by Reedus, who hit .571 (5-1-7).
After Michigan and Purdue exchanged the first six points of game two, the Wolverines rattled off three straight, including a kill from Moore, to take a 6-3 lead. Michigan, which hit .414 (14-2-29) in game two, maintained its momentum following a Purdue timeout as Reedus again led the Maize and Blue attack, hitting .833 (5-0-6). Behind Reedus and a pair of kills from senior Sarah Behnke (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore HS) the Wolverines stretched their lead out to 10-4 and prompted a Purdue timeout.
Michigan's frontline then took charge down the stretch as the Wolverines scored the next five points, with game point coming on block assists from Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian HS) and Pittenger. Michigan out-blocked Purdue 9-3 for the match, marking the first time Michigan has had more blocks than its opponent since turning the trick against Indiana (9.5-8) on Oct. 6.
Michigan came out of the locker room for game three determined not to let this two-game lead at home slip away. After spotting Purdue a 1-0 lead, the Wolverines raced to nine consecutive points that included a pair of kills from Pittenger and back-to-back aces from Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS).
Purdue tried to get back into the game and cut the lead to six at 12-6, but five game-three kills from Behnke and a game-three hitting mark of .625 (6-1-8) for Moore helped Michigan keep the Boilermakers at bay. Finally, Moore combined with fellow freshman Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) on a block for the final point of a 15-9 game-three win and a 3-0 match victory.
Michigan continues a four-match Big Ten homestand tomorrow night (Saturday, Nov. 4) with a 7 p.m. match vs. Illinois at Cliff Keen Arena.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 55 (Chantel Reedus 15); PU 41 (Joanna Lowry 13)
Assists: U-M 50 (Shannon Melka 38); PU 39 (Melissa Risher 22)
Service Aces: U-M 6 (Melka 3); PU 1 (Julie Doud 1)
Digs: U-M 39 (Alija Pittenger 13); PU 31 (Lowry, Maegan Peterson 6)
Blocks: U-M 9 (Erin Moore 5); PU 3 (Doud, Eryn Leach 2)
NOTES
• Michigan's win over Purdue snapped a five-match losing streak to the Boilermakers.
• Michigan's win coupled with an Indiana loss at Minnesota has moved the Wolverines into a seventh-place tie with the Hoosiers.
• Erin Moore's 13 kills are a career best, while her five blocks matches her career high.
• Alija Pittenger led Michigan in digs (13) for a team-best 11th time this season. The senior also hit .375 (7-1-16) in the win.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the match in general ... "This was a big win for us in terms of starting to gain some confidence back. We played very efficiently and I thought pretty smart volleyball for much of the match. We need to take this match and build on it. Although we still have a shot at the NCAA Tournament, that is our focus right now. The next match we play is our most important match and we need to focus on getting better every night out for the rest of the season.
On the play of freshmen Chantel Reedus and Erin Moore ... "They played very well tonight. We knew when we recruited them that they had a chance to be impact players and I think we are starting to see that. As with any freshman there are going to be growing pains, but these two kids are coming along very nicely for us right now."
