Michigan
17-6, 5-6Big Ten
Northwestern
14-9, 5-7Big Ten
Michigan Upset at Northwestern in Five Games
10/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The No. 20-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team continued to struggle at the home of the Wildcats, losing in five to Northwestern, 3-2 (30-26, 28-30, 30-16, 25-30, 9-15), Friday night (Oct. 26) to fall for the third straight year in Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Michigan held a two-games-to-one advantage, but Northwestern fought back to force a fifth frame, and the Wildcats carried the momentum to their second win over a top-20 team in the last three matches.
U-M was led offensively by senior Katie Bruzdzinski's (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) match-high 22 kills, while sophomore Veronica Rood (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) backed her up with 16 kills on the outside. Defensively, senior Stesha Selsky (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Marymount) finished with a match-high 27 digs, and senior Lyndsay Miller (Ida, Mich./Ida) had a season-high seven blocks. Michigan recorded 12 more kills, 13 more digs, 17 more assists and hit .018 better than Northwestern -- but it was the Wildcat "W" that proved most important.
The loss drops Michigan to 17-6 (5-6 Big Ten) and pushes Northwestern to 14-9 (5-7 Big Ten).
Michigan asserted itself in game one, remaining a step ahead of the Wildcats through the early goings before it built an insurmountable seven-point lead (28-21) to go on to win, 30-26. The Wolverines scored four or more kills from four Wolverines, including five from Miller and four apiece for Bruzdzinski, junior Beth Karpiak (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) and Rood. Freshman Lexi Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) was also active with nine digs.
The Wolverines trailed by as many as five points and did not take a lead in game two until 17-16, but U-M eventually watched its 26-25 lead evaporate in a short-lived 30-28 loss. Michigan overcame a 15-10 deficit to lead 17-16 and fight down the stretch to lead, 26-25 late in the period. Northwestern rebounded with a 4-0 run to force game point, but U-M scored twice to put itself one point away from extending the stanza. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, an attack error gave Northwestern the final point it needed. Michigan managed six kills fewer than its game one totals and hit just .051. Zimmerman continued her defensive clinic with seven digs, while Bruzdzinski, Karpiak and Rood each managed three kills.
Michigan came out of the break on fire in game three, building a seven-point, 12-5 lead early to cruise to a 30-16 victory via an unstoppable attack. Michigan nailed 18 kills and hit .361 led by eight terminations from Bruzdzinski. Selsky added seven momentum-keeping digs for U-M.
Northwestern bounced back to send the match to a fifth game with an overwhelming performance in game four. The Wildcats led 9-1 early, holding a 12-point margin late to stop a late Wolverine rally to win, 30-25. Bruzdzinski managed five kills in a sloppy frame, while Selsky kept up her end of the bargain with seven digs.
Game five belonged to the Wildcats who took charge after a 4-3 lead, never to look back in a 15-9 victory. Bruzdzinski had two kills through Michigan's first three points to knot it at 3-3, but U-M managed just two kills thereafter in the loss. The Wolverines' three digs also did not go very far in stopping Northwestern's .500 hitting percentage in the frame, with 11 kills on 18 swings with two errors.
Michigan returns home to its home state to take on Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., Saturday night (Oct. 27) at 6:30 p.m. in Jenison Field House.
N O T E S
Senior Stesha Selsky moves into fourth place on the Big Ten's all-time digs list with 27 against the Wildcats, two shy of third place and Penn State's Kaleena Walters (2002-05).
Senior Lyndsay Miller hit 1,300 kills for her career with 11 against Northwestern.
Senior Katie Bruzdzinski moves to seventh place on U-M's all-time digs list with 15 against the Wildcats.
Michigan has not won in Welsh-Ryan Arena since November 20, 2004, falling in five in two of the last three losses in Evanston.
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
