Michigan
19-13
Louisville
26-8
Career Nights Lead Michigan to NCAA Second Round
11/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Tucson, Ariz. (McKale Center)
Event:Â NCAA Tournament (First Round)
Result:Â Michigan 3, Louisville 1 (15-12, 15-11, 2-15, 15-12)
Records:Â U-M (19-13), Louisville (26-8)
Next U-M Match:Â Friday, Dec. 1 -- at Arizona in NCAA Second Round (Tucson, Ariz.), 7 p.m. MST
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team maintained its perfect record in NCAA Tournament first-round matches by defeating Louisville 15-12, 15-11, 2-15, 15-12 on Thursday (Nov. 30) in the McKale Center at the University of Arizona. Senior Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS) led the Wolverines with a career-high 23 kills and added nine digs, helping U-M advance to the NCAA second round for the third time in three appearances.
With injuries to Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) and Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian HS), redshirt freshman Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) stepped up big for U-M as she set a career high in assists (six) and tied her career best in blocks (seven). Senior Sarah Behnke (Baroda, Mich./Stevensville Lakeshore HS) also had tied a career high with 21 digs to go along with her 13 kills.
Michigan (19-13) took an early lead 4-1 in the first game, but Louisville (26-8) battled back to take the next five points and a 6-4 advantage. Pittenger led the Wolverines with seven kills in the game as the two teams went back and forth to an 11-11 tie. Michigan took a 14-12 after a kill by Joanna Fielder (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) and won the game on block assists by Poquette and Fielder. U-M limited the Cardinals to a .256 hitting percentage (19-9-39), while the Maize and Blue hit .333 (20-6-42) for the game.
U-M did not show any nervousness at the start of the second game as it won the first seven points. The Cardinals responded with eight consecutive points of their own to take the lead. Pittenger added nine more kills in the game, while Behnke paced the defense with eight digs. The two teams once again evened the score at 11 apiece, and it was the Wolverines who would score the next four points for the game. Pittenger had two consecutive kills, and Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) added the final kill to take a two-game lead.
After the recess, Louisville came out with more firepower than in its previous two games. The Cardinals won the first nine points at the start to pressure the Wolverines' defense. Michigan never got into sync offensively, with a -.023 hitting percentage (9-10-44), and dropped the third game 15-2.
The rust of game three did not carry over for the Wolverines as they took a quick 6-1 lead in the fourth game. Louisville went on a run of its own, tying the game at 7-7. The teams traded points till they were all tied at 12-12. Michigan took the next three points, following a kill by Fielder and block assists from Fielder and Poquette with another block by Fielder and Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS).
Michigan will play No. 5-ranked Arizona, the sub-regional host and a 15-1, 15-3, 15-3 winner over Alabama A&M, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday (Dec. 1) at 7 p.m. MST. The winner will advance to the Central Region semifinals.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 67 (Alija Pittenger 23), Louisville 66 (Sonja Percan, Kelly McClain 16)
Assists: U-M 58 (Shannon Melka 50), Louisville 55 (Jing Ding 47)
Service Aces: U-M 2 (Melka 2), Louisville 2 (Ding, Emily Roberson 1)
Digs: U-M 54 (Sarah Behnke 21), Louisville 65 (McClain, Sarah Drury 16)
Blocks: U-M 10 (Nicole Poquette 7), Louisville 11 (McClain 5)
NOTES
• Michigan moves to 3-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines have advanced to the second round in each of their three appearances.
• With her 13 kills, Sarah Behnke took over sole possession of second place on the Michigan career list for kills with 1,137. Behnke had been tied in second with Michelle Horrigan (1989-93).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the match ... "I'm real proud with the way we played most of the match. We were very aggressive. This was the first time we went with this lineup because of injuries, and they responded well. I liked the way we finished games one, two and four."
On matching up against Arizona ... "They are very big and physical. We have to effect them to be successful, and can't let them play their game."
U-M Senior Alija Pittenger
On how to play Arizona ... "We have to play really well. When we lost points tonight, it was a lack of effort. We can't have that tomorrow night."
U-M Sophomore/Freshman Nicole Poquette
On her contributions ... "This was my first match where I played the whole time, but it worked out fine. We played as a team out there tonight."
