Michigan
8-3
Valparaiso
11-4
Wolverines Defeat Valparaiso to Take Nike Challenge
9/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score:Â Michigan 3, Valparaiso 1 (30-25, 30-18, 28-30, 33-31)
Records:Â U-M (8-3), Valparaiso (11-4)
Next U-M Event:Â Friday, Sept. 26 -- vs. Ohio State (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team continued its dominance at home in the non-conference season, triumphing over Valparaiso 3-1 (30-25, 30-18, 28-30, 33-31) to capture the Michigan/Nike Challenge and win its fifth straight match. Three Wolverines had double-figure kill totals, including senior Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS), who tallied a team-high 19 kills to go along with 13 digs and a team-high eight blocks.
With the win, the Wolverines have won their last three tournaments, compiling a 7-1 record over the last three weekends to vault into Big Ten Conference play, which begins next weekend. In addition, Michigan improved its record to 4-1 at Cliff Keen Arena for the season.
In game one, Michigan and Valparaiso kept it close as the teams felt each other out, and after Valpo took a 13-9 lead, the Wolverines went on a roll, scoring 15 of the game's next 21 points to take a 24-19 lead and cruise to s 30-25 victory. The second stanza was much of the same as the Wolverines controlled the game from the start, rolling to a 30-18 victory.
After the intermission, Valparaiso found new life in game three. The Crusaders trailed the Wolverines for most of the stanza, then took the lead at 17-16 and held the Wolverines at bay until late in the game when U-M took a 26-25 advantage. Valpo responded with two straight points to regain the lead at 27-26, then after committing a service error to tie the game at 27, the Crusaders scored three of the game's final four points to force a fourth frame.
In game four, Michigan took command early, jumping out to a 23-14 lead. After a Valpo timeout, the Crusaders began to chip away at the lead, eventually tying the score at 29. The teams traded points to move the score to 31-31, then Moore took over, recording a kill and teaming with junior Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) to stuff Valparaiso's Liz Mikos to end the game and match with a 33-31 victory.
Gandolph, who was named the Nike Challenge's Top Scorer and Best Defender, finished the match with 18 kills and 18 digs. Freshman Megan Bowman (St. John, Ind./Lake Central HS) recorded a career-high 14 terminations, while junior Sarah Allen (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg HS) tallied 14 digs. Junior Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial HS), who was named the tournament's Best Setter, added 61 assists.
The Wolverines will remain home to open the Big Ten portion of their schedule next weekend, hosting Ohio State and Penn State. U-M will entertain the Buckeyes at 7 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 26) in the annual "Rock The House" match, while the Nittany Lions will visit Cliff Keen Arena for a 7 p.m. match on Saturday (Sept. 27).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On winning a third consecutive tournament ... "Certainly it's nice to win those tournaments. We talk a lot on our team about the process vs. the outcome, and tonight the outcome was a win and that's great. I love winning the tournament and I'm proud of them for that, but I didn't like the process. I didn't think we played very well tonight at all, and I don't think we really upheld the values that we're trying to uphold as a team, and that frustrates me. I'd rather win the right way than win the wrong way."
NOTES
• Michigan has won seven of its last eight matches, including a season-high five straight.
• The Wolverines have won their last three tournaments.
• Jennifer Gandolph has posted 10 or more kills in nine of her last 10 matches. She recorded her seventh double-double of the season and second in as many matches.
• Sarah Allen's 15 digs marked the fifth time this season, and sixth time in her career, that she has topped the 10-dig mark. Allen has recorded 10 or more digs in each of her last three matches.
• Megan Bowman's 14 kills are a career high.
• Lisa Gamalski's 61 assists marked the second time this season and eighth time in her career she has topped the 60-assist plateau.
• Erin Moore's eight block assists tied a career high. Moore, who posted her third double-double of the season, has recorded 10 or more kills in nine of her last 10 matches.
