Michigan
3-3
Georgia
5-1
Michigan Downs Georgia to Win Pepsi Challenge Title
9/8/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Event:Â Pepsi Volleyball Challenge (Day 2)
Result:Â Michigan 3, Georgia 1 (31-29, 22-30, 30-19, 30-26)
Records:Â U-M (3-3), Georgia (5-1)
Next U-M Match:Â Wednesday, Sept. 12 -- at Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sophomore Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) recorded her first double-double of the season as the University of Michigan volleyball team came from behind in the final game to capture a 3-1 (31-29, 22-30, 30-19, 30-26) victory over previously undefeated Georgia this evening (Saturday, Sept. 8) in the final match of the Pepsi Challenge in Cliff Keen Arena. Moore, the tournament MVP, had 13 kills and 12 digs, and Michigan won the tournament title for the second straight year with a 3-0 record in the two-day event.
After winning games one and three, the Wolverines found themselves down 21-17 in the fourth game. After trading points for the next few serves, Michigan tied the game at 23-23 on three consecutive attack errors by the Bulldogs. Two more attack errors a few serves later allowed Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian HS) and Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial HS) to put the game away with a pair of dramatic kills in the final moments of the match.
Relying on its height advantage at the net, Michigan (3-3) tallied 13 team blocks -- its third consecutive match with double-digit blocks -- and played strong defense to force Georgia (5-1) into 26 attack errors. In blocking, Lehman posted a match-high three solo blocks and five block assists. She also led the Michigan with 15 kills in the match.
Freshman standout Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) played a solid match and earned her second double-double in as many days with 14 kills and a match-high 15 digs. The key to Gandolph's kills was the timing. With Michigan's lead just 24-22 late in game one, she picked up four of Michigan's last seven kills, including the final three of the game, to put the Wolverines over the top. In the game, she recorded seven kills and hit .545.
As a team, the Wolverines hit .317 in the match, with three games of at least .323. The Wolverines' defense held the Bulldogs to hitting percentages of just .029 and .000 in the third and fourth games, respectively.
Moore was joined on the all-tournament team by Gamalski, Lehman and Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS).
Earlier in the day, Pittsburgh and Georgia took the match to a full five games before the Bulldogs extended their season-long winning streak to five matches. The Panthers put up a strong fight but fell 3-2 (16-30, 30-19, 30-23, 28-30, 15-13). After Michigan swept Eastern Michigan 3-0 (30-18, 30-18, 30-18), the Eagles turned around and defeated Pittsburgh 3-2 (30-21, 30-26, 17-30, 22-30, 15-9) in the third match of the day.
Michigan hits the road for a mid-week match at No. 20 Notre Dame on Wednesday (Sept. 12, 7 p.m.) in South Bend, Ind. Michigan then returns to welcome Central Michigan, Montana and Virginia Tech to the Michigan Nike Invitational next weekend (Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14-15).
NOTES
• The 2001 Pepsi Challenge All-Tournament Team: Erin Moore (U-M) - MVP, Stacy Buerger (Georgia), Lisa Gamalski (U-M), Erin Gornes (Georgia), Wendy Hatlestad (Pittsburgh), Katrina Lehman (U-M)Â and Chantel Reedus (U-M).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the match ... "I was really pleased with the match tonight. Georgia played a tremendous game, much better than they had played earlier in the tournament. They were very aggressive offensively, which is not what we expected. Our kids did a great job of adjusting, but you still have to give [Georgia] a lot of credit."
On Erin Moore's performance ... "She's a core kid for us, but we are a balanced team. This isn't necessarily the 'Erin Moore Show,' but she is certainly always there for the big kills when we need them."
