Michigan
13-5, 5-2Big Ten
Northwestern
11-8, 2-5Big Ten
Gandolph, Moore Power U-M to Sweep of Northwestern
10/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score:Â Michigan 3, Northwestern 0 (30-25, 30-25, 30-24)
Records:Â U-M (13-5, 5-2 Big Ten), Northwestern (11-8, 2-5 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event:Â Saturday, Oct. 18 -- vs. Illinois (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team continued its winning ways in the Big Ten Conference, dispatching Northwestern in just one hour and 19 minutes with a 30-25, 30-25, 30-24 sweep Friday (Oct. 17) in Cliff Keen Arena. Junior Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) posted a match-high 17 kills and a .500 hitting percentage (17 kills, 4 errors, 26 attempts), while senior Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) added 15 kills, hit .414 (15-3-29) and contributed a team-best seven block assists as the Wolverines posted their third straight win in Big Ten play.
The victory also marked the 13th straight victory over Northwestern at Cliff Keen Arena and snapped a two-match home losing streak for U-M. In addition, Michigan continued its Friday night fever, winning its fifth straight Friday evening match by a 3-0 margin, including the last three against Big Ten opposition.
The Wolverines completely dominated every facet of the match, hitting .342, including .405 in game two. Michigan's defense also played tough, limiting the Wildcats to a .202 hitting percentage while outblocking Northwestern 10-6.
Michigan took an early 4-0 lead in game one and never looked back, cruising to a 30-25 victory. Game two was the pivitol game in the match, as the Wildcats opened up a 4-0 advantage before the Wolverines settled down and battled back to tie the score at 6-6 then, after trading points with Northwestern, took the lead for good at 11-10 on a kill by Gandolph before rolling to a 30-25 triumph. Game three was also dominated by U-M as it took an early 2-0 lead and held the advantage for the rest of the stanza, closing out the match with a 30-24 victory.
Freshman Danielle Pflum (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville HS) was also a spark for the Wolverines, hitting .312 with six kills. Pflum added four blocks, while senior Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) contributed 11 digs. Junior Sarah Allen (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg HS) also posted double-digit digs, tallying 10.
The Wolverines will go for their fourth straight win in Big Ten play on Saturday (Oct. 18) when they host Illinois at Cliff Keen Arena. Opening serve against the Fighting Illini is slated for 7 p.m.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the victory over Northwestern ... "We played really well. I didn't think they (Northwestern) played very well tonight, and I think they are a lot better then they showed tonight. The thing that I liked the most is that our girls really kept their focus and their level consistent throughout the games and didn't fall down to their level. We got better each game statistically and emotionally. Sometimes that is hard to do when you win the first two pretty easily. It's hard to keep that focus, but I think we did a real good job."
On the individual performances of Erin Moore and Jennifer Gandolph ... "They both have been playing so well for us. We have probably given them the ball more then we should in some ways but they are doing such a good job that is hard not to. I'm just really proud of how they are playing. They have been carrying that load all year long. In each game it seems like they get a little more consistent and we go to them a little bit more. I think the other girls are playing well too. It's just you ride the hot hand a little bit. They are both so different because they attack in different places and styles. It's hard for the other team to get a good read on them. I think Lisa (Gamalski) is doing a nice job in getting them the ball and running the team well."
On getting the team motivated vs. Illinois ... "They are a totally different style of team because Illinois is probably the biggest team in the conference. They are absolutely huge physically and if we do not control the ball well they are not a team you are going to enjoy playing very much because their size gets better when you have less options. I think Erin and Jen are going to have a lot focused on them because they are big enough to block and take players out of games. We are going to have to be a little more balanced tomorrow night. Our other players are going to have to take on a little more of the load. I'm not too worried about our team being focused because they know the season is long. We just have to adjust to the style of tomorrow's team."
NOTES
• Michigan is 12-1 when winning game one and 10-0 when posting a victory in the first two games of a match.
• U-M has beaten Northwestern 13 consecutive times at Cliff Keen Arena.
• The Wolverines are 5-0 when hitting .300 or better and 10-1 when recording a hitting percentage higher than .250.
• Michigan has won its last five Friday night matches by a 3-0 margin, including three straight Big Ten contests.
• Jennifer Gandolph has notched 10 or more kills in all but three of her appearances this season, including four consecutive matches.
• Erin Moore has recorded 10 or more kills in all but two of her matches, including seven straight.
• Moore improved her career kill total to 1,144 -- 117 shy of the school record, held by Karen Chase (1,291 from 1995-98).
• Moore tallied seven blocks for the second straight match.
• Junior Alicia Boswell (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson HS) recorded three service aces, a career high.
• Nicole Poquette went over the 10-dig mark for the third time this season.
• Sarah Allen's 10 digs marked the eighth time this season she has topped the 10-dig mark. In her career Allen has nine 10-dig performances.
