Michigan
3-1
Northern Illinois
3-1
U-M Opens All Sport Challenge with Sweep of Huskies
9/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Event: All Sport® Volleyball Challenge
Result:Â #25 Michigan 3, Northern Illinois 0 (15-2, 15-7, 15-5)
Records:Â U-M (3-1), NIU (3-1)
Next U-M Match: Friday, Sept. 8 -- vs. New Mexico in All Sport® Challenge (Cliff Keen Arena), 7:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 25-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team picked up its first win of the 2000 All Sport Volleyball Challenge with a convincing three-game sweep (15-2, 15-7, 15-5) of Northern Illinois on Friday afternoon (Sept. 8). Michigan's key to victory was a team attacking percentage of .356 (37-11-73), while holding Northern Illinois to a hitting mark of -.024 (23-25-83) for the match, with the help of 10 Wolverine blocks.
The Wolverines jumped on the Huskies early, led by freshman outside hitter Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS), who hit .529 (9-0-17) for the match. As a team, Michigan hit a dominant .500 (13-2-22) for game one as it sped out to a 7-1 lead. Also aiding the Wolverine cause in game one was junior setter Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) with a strong service game as well as a team-best 31 assists for the match. Michigan finished game one strong to earn the 15-2 win.
Michigan cooled off a bit in game two but was never seriously challenged as the Wolverines' front row helped hold Northern Illinois to a .000 (8-8-30) hitting percentage for the game. Sophomore middle blocker Katrina Lehman (West Bloomfield, Mich./Marian HS) and Poquette formed a solid tandem at the net as they each notched five block assists for the match. Sophomore Nicole Kacor (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley HS) also aided the Wolverine cause with a solo block during game two in addition to a team-best nine digs for the match. Michigan won game two 15-7 to take a two-game lead into intermission.
Michigan's strong attacking returned in game three as senior outside hitter Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS) led the way in the Maize and Blue's 15-5 win. Pittenger led the Wolverines with 10 kills on the match and hit an impressive .438 (10-3-16). The Wolverines' offensive attack was also helped by Kacor, who hit .556 (6-1-9) for the match. Michigan pulled away down the stretch thanks to three consecutive aces from Lehman, who notched a team- and career-best five for the match.
Michigan's next match at the All Sport Volleyball Challenge is on Friday (Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m.) vs. the University of New Mexico at Cliff Keen Arena.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 37 (Alija Pittenger 10); NIU 23 (Tenisha Wilkins 11)
Assists: U-M 33 (Shannon Melka 31); NIU 22 (Jenny Bowman 22)
Service Aces: U-M 9 (Katrina Lehman 5); NIU 1 (Bowman 1)
Digs: U-M 27 (Nicole Kacor 9); NIU 21 (Bowman 5)
Blocks: U-M 10 (Pittenger, Nicole Poquette 5); NIU 1 (Rena Widboom, Amanda Newlin 1)
NOTES
• Freshman Nicole Poquette has now gone the entire match without a hitting in error in three of Michigan's first four contests. In fact, Poquette has just four errors in 73 attack attempts thus far in 2000.
• Alija Pittenger led Michigan with 10 kills. Pittenger has now either led the Wolverines in kills or shared that honor in all four matches in 2000.
• Michigan is now 5-0 all-time vs. Northern Illinois.
• Michigan senior middle blocker Joanna Fielder (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) returned from injury to make her 2000 debut in the win over Northern Illinois.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the Michigan victory ... "Our play in the frontcourt was pretty impressive to me, especially hitting .500 in game one, and I thought [Nicole] Poquette was a presence as a blocker."
On setter Shannon Melka ... "Shannon is really a steadying influence on the floor for us and is doing a nice job of setting our tempo on offense."
