Michigan
4-5, 1-2Big Ten
Iowa
2-7, 0-3Big Ten
Super Sophs Carry Wolverines to Victory Over Iowa
9/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Result:Â Michigan 3, Iowa 2 (30-24, 26-30, 30-18, 26-30, 15-8)
Records:Â U-M (4-5, 1-2 Big Ten), Iowa (2-7, 0-3 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match:Â Saturday, Sept. 29 -- vs. #17 Minnesota (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A pair of sophomores -- Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) and Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) -- both had career nights to help the University of Michigan volleyball team win its seventh consecutive "Rock the House" match with a 3-2 (30-24, 26-30, 30-18, 26-30, 15-8) victory over Iowa. A crowd of 1,127 fans packed Cliff Keen Arena tonight (Friday, Sept. 28) to see Moore hit .500 with a match- and career-high 25 kills and a match-high six blocks and Reedus post a career-high 22 kills on the 10th anniversary of "Rock the House," an annual volleyball tradition.
Michigan (4-5, 1-2 Big Ten) hit .370 as a team, including .500 in the third game and .400 in the fifth and deciding game, to keep the Hawkeyes winless in Big Ten Conference play. With the Wolverines looking to add some veteran experience to the youth-filled lineup, senior Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) started as the setter, and senior Annie Maxwell (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) started in place of sophomore Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS), who missed the match due to a death in the family.
Melka, making her first start since the season opener against UCLA (Aug. 31), registered match highs of 70 assists and 15 digs -- both personal season bests -- and added two service aces while hitting .400 (5-1-10). Freshman standout Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) recorded her second consecutive double-double with 14 kills and 13 digs. She has recorded a double-double in four of the last six matches and leads the team with 90 digs.
After the teams split the first two games, Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian HS) and Moore combined for 12 of Michigan's 18 kills in the third game, including a perfect 6-for-6 effort by Moore. After starting out tight, Gandolph, Melka and senior Nicole Kacor (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley HS) each put together serving streaks to give Michigan a 21-15 lead. Moore's service efforts and a pair of kills by Lehman near the end of the game gave the Wolverines a 30-18 win.
Iowa (2-7, 0-3 Big Ten) took the fourth game 30-26 before Michigan shut the door in the final game. Starting off hot, Michigan jumped out to an 8-4 lead before putting the game and match away with a 15-8 victory.
The Wolverines return to the floor Saturday night (Sept. 29) to face 17th-ranked Minnesota. The Golden Gophers fell to Michigan State in three games on the road Friday in East Lansing, Mich.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the match ... "I thought we really played well, even with the switched lineup. We really battled well at key times, and that was one of the things that helped us win tonight. Erin Moore was just dominant. Her performance was outstanding. Shannon (Melka) and Annie (Maxwell) also did a great job. They both provided some veteran experience and stability that we need at this point in the season. Lisa (Gamalski) has been playing great, but at least for right now, we needed that stability. As for Annie, she did a great job of playing a position she had never played in the past."
