Michigan
11-8, 5-4Big Ten
Illinois
9-9, 3-6Big Ten
Lehman Leads Wolverines to Sweep of Fighting Illini
10/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Result: Michigan 3, Illinois 0 (30-25, 30-20, 30-26)
Records: U-M (11-8, 5-4 Big Ten), Illinois (9-9, 3-6 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Oct. 26 -- vs. Purdue (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield, Hills, Mich./Marian HS) posted match highs of 13 kills and five blocks to lead the University of Michigan volleyball team to a three-game sweep (30-25, 30-20, 30-26) of Illinois tonight (Friday, Oct. 25) in front of 838 fans at Cliff Keen Arena. Lehman helped the Wolverines' offense to a .333 (56-17-117) hitting percentage while assisting in a defensive effort which limited the Fighting Illini attackers to 40 kills and 20 errors in 117 attempts (.171).
In addition to Lehman, juniors Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) and Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) each reached double-digit kills in the match. Reedus posted 11 kills, including a spectacular shot down the net to help seal the third game. Moore added 10 kills and earned her fifth double-double of the year by adding 10 digs. Sophomore setter Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial HS) put up a match-high 44 assists and hit .556 with six kills and one error in nine attempts.
Michigan (11-8, 5-4 Big Ten) started out slowly and found itself trailing 4-0 at the beginning of the first game. However, the Wolverines got back into the game and tied the score at 13-13 after a service ace by Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) and a kill by Reedus. U-M took its first lead in a service rotation by Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) and then extended the lead to 25-16 during a six-point service rotation by defensive specialist Alicia Boswell (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson HS). The Wolverines gave up nine of the next 14 points but managed to take the game 30-25.
Game two was much different for the Wolverines. Illinois (9-9, 3-6 Big Ten) found itself behind at the start of the game and could not get back into the contest. Michigan used small runs, including consecutive service aces by Moore early in the game, to build a five-point lead at 21-16. U-M extended the lead to 27-17 with a service rotation by Gandolph and then closed the door at 30-20 for a two-game lead at the intermission.
The Fighting Illini reduced their errors in game three and found themselves right in the game. Neither team could establish a lead and the match was tied as late as 25-25. However, Illinois committed a service error and attack error which was followed by three consecutive kills by Reedus to force game point at 29-25. The Illini managed to get one but Reedus closed out the match with a kill to give Michigan a 30-26 victory in the game and a sweep of the match.
Michigan returns to the court tomorrow night (Saturday, Oct. 26) for a 7 p.m. match against the Purdue Boilermakers. Fans dressed in a costume for the Halloween at Cliff Keen celebration or presenting a ticket stub from the Michigan-Iowa football game receive free admission.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the defensive effort ... "I just think we settled into it (in game two), and the intensity was a little better. In game one, we played well, but I didn't think we defended nearly as well, except for Carrie Ritchie. I Carrie dug everything in game one. She was awesome, especially for being out for over a week. In game two, I think everyone else really stepped up defensively. In game three, I think we dropped off again, and the game stayed close because we didn't play the same level of defense and they didn't make as many errors. We couldn't get the separation from them making mistakes and we weren't really earning it on defense. At the end of the game, I think they really stepped it up big time. We made three or four really great plays right when we needed to, which is encouraging."
On the sharp-angle attack by Chantel Reedus at the end of game three ... "It was phenomenal. I've watched a lot of volleyball, and I was just, 'Wow!' That's a great shot. That's something that not very many people can make that play, and (Chantel) makes those more often than we think she is going to. Right at the end of the game, she just stepped up, took a couple of great swings and really just put it away."
On Alicia Boswell serving for Chantel Reedus ... "We're just trying to find the most effective combination. I think Sarah Allen, Lindsay (Dern) and Alicia all do a nice job, but we're just kind of riding the hot hand a little bit. Alicia has been serving really well in practice and did really well when she had opportunities last weekend. She did a great job and scored about eight points in a row in game one. That was a huge separator for us."
NOTES
• Michigan volleyball has posted a record of 99-79 (.556) in 14 years at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines, who are 7-0 at home this season, can reach the century mark tomorrow (Oct. 26) against Purdue.
• Sophomore Carrie Ritchie (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison Comprehensive HS) returned to the lineup after missing last week's matches at Northwestern (Oct. 18) and Wisconsin (Oct. 19) due to illness. She posted 11 digs as the libero against Illinois.
