Michigan
20-8, 8-8Big Ten
Illinois
15-11, 7-9Big Ten
Michigan Sweeps Illini to Reach 20 Wins Once Again
11/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team swept Illinois to sweep the season series in a 3-0 (30-19, 30-23, 30-28) win Saturday night (Nov. 10) in Huff Hall. The win ensured the Wolverines a share of third place in the Big Ten Conference at best or fourth place at worst, depending on the outcome of the Minnesota/Purdue match in progress.
The win pushes Michigan past the 20-win mark for the fourth time in five seasons, making U-M 20-8 (8-8 Big Ten). The triumph also marks the second year in a row that U-M has swept the Illini in the season series.
In her home state, senior Katie Bruzdzinski (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) had a season-best showing for offensive accuracy, hitting .425 with 18 kills on 40 swings with just one error in her final visit to Huff Hall. Sophomore Megan Bower (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) managed a career night with 10 kills and four blocks in the match, bettering her previous best of six kills and three blocks, while junior Beth Karpiak (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) hit double-digits with 10 kills, adding three blocks.
Senior Lyndsay Miller (Ida, Mich./Ida) also had a good night with seven kills, including five in the third game, while on defense senior Stesha Selsky (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Marymount) finished with 20 digs, putting up 10 in game one and nine in game three.
Michigan handled a sloppy Illinois team in game one with aggressive serves and attacks, forcing the Illini into 11 attack errors and a .020 hitting percentage in a 30-19 defeat. Selsky confounded Illinois' super freshman Laura DeBruler, recording 10 digs and limiting the Big Ten leader in kills to just four terminations and three errors on 18 swings. On the Wolverine side of the net, Bruzdzinski managed four kills on 11 swings, and Karpiak also managed five kills for U-M with a block to boot.
U-M overcame an early 7-3 deficit against the Illini and survived nine ties in the middle portion of the match to take a two games to none lead into the break with a 30-23 victory. Bruzdzinski powered the offense again with seven kills in the period on 11 swings, while the Wolverines committed just three attack errors in the frame -- two of which happened with the Illini up 7-3. For the period, U-M hit .390 and forced DeBruler into four more attack errors with five kills.
Michigan thwarted an Illinois comeback attempt with a strong finish in game three, overcoming a late 25-24 deficit and pushing a 27-27 tie into a 30-28 victory to sweep the Illini on their home court. It was the Bower show for game three, as the sophomore built on her single-match career high kills record with each swing, tallying six in the period on the right side. Bruzdzinski continued to ring up terminations on the left side with seven in the period, recording her only error of the night in game three, while Miller got into the act with five kills. Selsky was put back into service with nine digs in the period as the Illini refocused their attack to the corner.
With four Big Ten matches left in the season, Michigan travels on its final road trip to take on Purdue Friday (Nov. 16) in West Lafayette, Ind., and Indiana Saturday (Nov. 17) in Bloomington, Ind. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.
N O T E S
Sophomore Megan Bower had a career-best 10 kills and four blocks.
Senior Katie Bruzdzinski had a season-best .425 hitting percentage (18-1-40).
Michigan reached 20 wins for the fourth time in five seasons. Michigan finished with 21 wins in 2006 and 2003 and 20 wins in 2004.
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
