Michigan
7-4, 1-0Big Ten
Iowa
6-5, 0-1Big Ten
Wolverines Dominate Hawkeyes in Conference Opener
9/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena)
Result: Michigan 3, Iowa 1 (28-30, 30-22, 30-23, 30-18)
Records: U-M (7-4, 1-0 Big Ten), Iowa (6-5, 0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Sept. 28 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CDT
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Three Wolverines posted kill-dig double-doubles as the University of Michigan volleyball team rolled to a 3-1 (28-30, 30-22, 30-23, 30-18) victory over Iowa tonight (Friday, Sept. 27) in front of 354 fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS), Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) and Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) led the Wolverines to season highs in kills (79) and digs (85) in U-M's first victory in a Big Ten Conference season opener since 1999.
Gandolph and Moore led all attackers with 21 kills each. Moore completed her double-double with 10 digs, while Gandolph tied her career high with 18 digs. Poquette reached her double-double with a season-high 11 kills and 15 digs. Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) nearly joined the group, as she chipped in 14 kills and nine digs.
On defense, Michigan continued to show its strength at the net, posting 11 team blocks. Poquette led all players and tied her career high with eight block assists. Moore was right there as well, with seven block assists. Carrie Ritchie (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison Comprehensive HS) helped out on defense with 15 digs, tying her season high.
Michigan (7-4, 1-0 Big Ten) started off slowly in the first game and dropped the contest 30-28 to fall behind in the match. The team returned in game two with a vengeance and took a 4-1 lead on three consecutive kills by Moore. The Wolverines' lead grew from three to 12 as they scored 17 of the next 28 points. Iowa used a small run to close within five at 24-19, but Michigan held on until a kill by Reedus closed out the game 30-22 and tied the match at one game each.
Iowa (6-5, 0-1 Big Ten) struggled to maintain its serve in the third game. The Hawkeyes recorded consecutive serves just five times over the course of the game, and small runs helped the Wolverines work their way to a 30-22 victory.
Game four started out tight. The Hawkeyes took a three-point lead at 6-3, but a kill by Moore jump-started the Wolverine offense. U-M got back into the game, and the teams traded small leads for a while. It appeared the game was headed for another tie when Iowa closed to within one point at 19-18. However, the Wolverines scored 11 unanswered points to win the game 30-18 and the match 3-1. The run was all Michigan, as U-M earned 10 of its final 11 points on eight kills and two blocks.
Michigan finishes the conference-opening weekend against No. 8 Minnesota at 7 p.m. CDT Saturday (Sept. 28) in Minneapolis, Minn.
NOTES
• Lisa Gamalski posted a career-high 65 assists tonight. Erin Moore, with 21 kills, and Carrie Ritchie, with 15 digs, each tied season highs.
• Michigan is now 6-15 in Big Ten season-opening matches. All six victories have come in the last 12 years.
• Tonight's win is the first of the season for the Wolverines in an opponent's home gym. Michigan has won three of four neutral-site matches, but owns a record of 1-3 when playing an opponent in its home gym.
• With three blocks tonight, Katrina Lehman now has 368 career blocks. She has moved into second place on U-M's career list and needs just seven more to tie Julia Sturm (1987-90) for the all-time record of 375 total blocks.
• Michigan's next home match, against Big Ten Conference rival Indiana on Friday, Oct. 4, will be the 11th annual Rock the House.
