Michigan
2-0
Binghamton
0-2
U-M Blazes Past Binghamton After Losing First Game
8/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: Toledo, Ohio (Savage Hall)
Event: Rocket Classic
Score: Michigan def. Binghamton 3-1 (30-32, 30-16, 30-17, 30-21)
Records: U-M (2-0), Binghamton (0-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Aug. 26 -- vs. Wright State at Rocket Classic (Toledo, Ohio), noon
TOLEDO, Ohio -- Surviving a scare in game one and coping with the challenge of playing two matches in one day, the University of Michigan volleyball team rebounded from a 32-30 first-game loss to sweep the final three games, downing Binghamton 30-32, 30-16, 30-17, 30-21 Friday afternoon (Aug. 25) at Toledo's Rocket Classic at Savage Hall.
The win pushed Michigan to 2-0 on the first day of the 2006 season, while Binghamton fell to 0-2 with a four-game loss to Toledo earlier in the day.
Binghamton caught Michigan off guard in game one, coming from behind to tie the contest at 28-28 and surviving a pair of game points at 29-28 and 30-29 before downing the Wolverines, 32-30. U-M stormed back with a vengeance, winning the next three games by an average score of 30-18 and holding the Bearcats to a hitting percentage of .008 through the final three frames. In the end, Michigan dominated the boxscore with 30 more kills, 21 more digs and nine more team blocks than Binghamton.
Junior Lyndsay Miller (Ida, Mich./Ida) was instrumental for the Wolverines, tying a career best with 19 kills and finishing with three blocks, while sophomore Beth Karpiak (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) had the breakout match of her collegiate career with career highs in kills (16), blocks (6) and points (20.0). Junior Katie Bruzdzinski (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) was superb once again, registering 18 kills and hitting .325 while adding three blocks.
Binghamton did not lead from the end of game one until the final whistle, struggling to battle through Karpiak, fifth-year senior Erin Penn (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) and senior Megan Bowman (St. John, Ind./Lake Central), who combined for 16 blocks on the front line. The Wolverines served tough once again with seven team aces, led by a pair each from Selsky, freshman Megan Bower (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) and sophomore Kerry Hance (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount). Hance was also a stalwart on defense, shattering her career best with 24 digs, supported by Selsky's 18 digs, Bower's 14 and Penn's 12.
Michigan faces its final two opponents of the Rocket Classic on Saturday (Aug. 26), taking on Wright State at noon before squaring off with host Toledo at 7:30 p.m. Audio broadcasts of both matches will be carried live on Michigan All-Access.
