Michigan
21-9, 9-9Big Ten
Indiana
15-15, 6-12Big Ten
Michigan Shoots to 21 Wins With Sweep Over Indiana
11/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Boxscore
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team recorded its 21st victory of the season to equal its best single-season victory total under head coach Mark Rosen with a 30-21, 30-23, 30-24 sweep of Indiana Saturday night (Nov. 17) in University Gym on IU's Senior Night.
In the second Senior Night on the road in as many evenings, the Wolverines' senior stars shone brightly with senior Katie Bruzdzinski(Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) the key constellation. Bruzdzinski nailed 18 kills, had eight digs and added two aces while serving a solid match for the second straight night. Sophomore Veronica Rood(Temperance, Mich./Bedford) was the beneficiary of some of Bruzdzinski's tough serving, picking up some easy kills on free balls, totaling 12 kills on 17 swings for a career-best .647 hitting percentage. Senior shining star Lyndsay Miller(Ida, Mich./Ida) had eight kills and a pair of blocks for the Wolverines, while on defense senior supernova Stesha Selsky(Manhattan Beach, Calif./Marymount) finished with a match-high 14 digs.
In game one, Michigan took a 9-8 lead and never let the Hoosiers get closer, leading the entire way in a 30-21 victory. Bruzdzinski was electric on the outside with nine kills on 17 swings as freshman Lexi Zimmerman(Barrington, Ill./Barrington) recognized the hot hand and set Bruzdzinski nearly three times as much as any other Wolverine. Bruzdzinski also served heavy, recording one ace and setting up a series of easy Wolverine points as the Hoosiers were forced out of system time and time again.
The Wolverines faced slightly stiffer competition in game two, pushing another 9-8 lead into a 20-12 chasm and cruising to a 30-23 win. The Wolverine attack was spread across the board, with Miller and Rood each cashing in with four kills. The Wolverines added four team blocks in the period with Rood and junior Beth Karpiak(La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) combining on three stuffs.
Michigan put away Indiana in a tightly fought third period, trading the lead eight times and surviving 16 tie scores to win in a sweep, 30-24. With the teams locked in a 19-19 tie, Bruzdzinski and sophomore Megan Bower(Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) sparked a 3-0 Wolverine run to put U-M ahead 22-19 and force Indiana into its first timeout. Matters did not improve for the Hoosiers as Michigan maintained a comfortable lead down the stretch before pouring it on at the finish.
Michigan returns home for turkey time, taking on Ohio State and Penn State in the final matches of the regular season. U-M faces the Buckeyes on Friday (Nov. 23) at 5 p.m. in Cliff Keen Arena before wrapping up the regular season on Senior Night against Penn State on Saturday (Nov. 24) at 5 p.m.
N O T E S
Michigan's 21 wins equal a program record under head coach Mark Rosen. Rosen also led the Wolverines to 21-win seasons in 2003 and '06. The U-M record for single-season wins is 41, set by Sandy Vong's 1981 squad.
Michigan sweeps the season series against Indiana.
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
