Michigan
4-0, 0-0BIG 10
American
2-1, 0-0PL
Wolverines Beat American in Four to Win Tourney Title
9/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: Riverdale, N.Y. (Draddy Gymnasium)
Score: Michigan def. American 3-1 (27-30, 30-25, 30-22, 30-27)
Records: U-M (4-0), American (2-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 10 -- vs. Eastern Michigan at Michigan/Pepsi Challenge (Cliff Keen Arena), 7:30 p.m.
RIVERDALE, N.Y. -- University of Michigan volleyball senior Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial) recorded U-M's first double-double of the season with 54 assists and 14 digs en route to tournament MVP honors as the Maize and Blue captured the Manhattan College Invitational with a 3-1 win over American University Saturday evening (Sept. 4) in Draddy Gymnasium. Gamalski also added eight kills against the Eagles, giving her 17 kills in the tournament with a sparkling .452 hitting percentage.
Senior Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) garnered all-tournament honors after leading the Wolverines with 21 kills, while sophomore Danielle Pflum (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) set a new career high with 18 kills in the deciding match. Gandolph led Michigan in kills for the tournament, recording 40 in three matches.
American came out strong in the first game, defeating Michigan 30-27 after beating Maryland-Eastern Shore and Manhattan earlier in the tournament, handing Michigan its first loss after nine straight game wins. The Wolverines clawed back to even the match with a 30-25 game-two win and fought off the Eagles to take the next two games and clinch the tournament title.
Senior Sarah Allen (Mechanicsburg, Mich./Mechanicsburg) led the team with 16 digs, totaling 29 for the tournament, while freshman Lyndsay Miller (Ida, Mich./Ida) set a career high with eight blocks. Miller totaled 17 blocks in the tournament to lead all Wolverines.
Michigan improves to 4-0 on the season, the best start for the program since 1999, when the Wolverines opened the season with four straight victories in head coach Mark Rosen's first season at the helm. Rosen is now just two wins shy of 300 victories for his career.
The Wolverines open their home season with the Michigan/Pepsi Challenge on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10-11. Michigan takes on Eastern Michigan on Friday at 7:30 p.m., faces Oakland University on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and plays the final match of the tournament that evening against Florida State at 7:30 p.m. The Eastern Michigan and Oakland matches will be televised and broadcast on tape delay by Comcast Sports Local.
All-Tournament Team
Lisa Gamalski, Michigan (MVP)
Jennifer Gandolph, Michigan
Jana Milin, Maryland-Eastern Shore
Maggie Pfeifer, Manhattan
Courtney Mulford, American
Cutrina Biddulph, American
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Mark Rosen
On winning the Manhattan College Invitational ... "Our upperclassmen led the charge for us this weekend. Jen Gandolph was phenomenal, especially in the deciding match against American University and Lisa Gamalski set the ball beautifully and added an offensive component to our game all weekend with accurate kills. On Saturday, Sarah Allen led our team in digs both matches and settled us down when we needed it. All of our upperclassmen really stepped up and proved that they could lead this week."
On the deciding match against American ... "AU came out and played unbelievably in the first two games. We lost the first game of the match despite hitting .255. You could tell that they were up for this match and wanted to win. They were on fire, they were physical and they forced us to step up our own game. It's a great sign that we could overcome some early adversity and come back to win."
What did you learn about the team this week ... "Our team is resilient - they can find a way to win. Against Valparaiso on Wednesday we had to overcome a loud crowd and a scrappy team and we played poorly against Maryland-Eastern Shore despite the victory. Our team stepped up to play very efficiently against Manhattan and then matched American's intensity in the final match. I think these challenges will help us later in the season."
N O T E S
• Michigan is 4-0 to start the 2004 season, the best start since 1999 when the Wolverines went 4-0 to begin Mark Rosen's first season with the Maize and Blue.
• Senior Lisa Gamalski was named the Manhattan College Invitational Tournament MVP. In 2003, she earned two all-tournament honors and the Best Setter award at the Michigan/Nike Invitational. She also earned all-tournament honors at the Howdy's Pepperdine Classic in 2002.
• Senior Jennifer Gandolph was named to the Manhattan College Invitational All-Tournament team. In 2003, Gandolph earned two all-tournament honors along with the Best Scorer and Best Defender awards at the Michigan/Nike Invitational.
• Head coach Mark Rosen needs just two more victories to post 300 career wins.
• Michigan starts its home season in the Michigan/Pepsi Challenge on Friday, Sept. 10 and Saturday, Sept. 11 against Eastern Michigan, Oakland University and Florida State. The Eastern Michigan and Oakland matches will be broadcast on tape delay on Comcast Sports Local. The Wolverines won the 2003 Michigan/Pepsi Challenge against Murray State, Texas A&M and No. 16 Louisville.
