Michigan
18-6, 6-5Big Ten
Wisconsin
11-9, 6-5Big Ten
Wolverines Drop Pink Match to Wisconsin
10/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 30, 2009
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Event: Pink Match
Score: Wisconsin 3, #13 Michigan 1 (24-26, 21-25, 25-20, 20-25)
Records: U-M (18-6, 6-5 Big Ten), Wisconsin (11-9, 6-5 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 31 -- vs. Iowa (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After dropping the first two sets and battling back to win the third, the No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's volleyball team watched as Wisconsin spoiled its "Pink Out" for Breast Cancer Awareness by taking set four in a 3-1 (26-24, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20) U-M loss on Friday night (Oct. 30) at Cliff Keen Arena. Sophomore Alex Hunt (Granger, Ind./South Bend St. Joseph) tallied a match-best 19 kills in defeat, while junior setter Lexi Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) dished out 46 assists.
Seniors Juliana Paz (Porto Alegre, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) and Veronica Rood (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) added 13 and 11 kills, respectively, and three Wolverines reached double-digit digs, led by senior Megan Bower's (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) 14.
In the deciding fourth set, the Badgers held a 10-7 lead before Michigan went on a 5-1 run, keyed by back-to-black blocks from Rood, to grab the lead, 12-11. Wisconsin soon pulled away, however, with a 5-1 run of its own to go up 18-14, en route to the 25-20 win.
Set one looked to be an easy Wisconsin win as the Badgers took a late 22-16 lead. Michigan made it interesting, however, scoring eight of the next 10 points to tie the set at 24-all. With the score deadlocked, the Badgers scored the final two points on a kill and service ace, handing U-M a 26-24 defeat. Hunt led the Michigan attack with seven kills, while Zimmerman added 15 assists in the frame.
In the second set, U-M kept things close to start, holding it to within one at 11-10. The Badgers pulled away soon after, capitalizing on one of U-M's five service errors in the set and a pair of Michigan attack errors to take a 22-16 in the eventual 25-21 win. The U-M offense could not find a consistent rhythm in the frame, attacking at a .091 clip with seven attack errors on 33 attempts.
The third set saw the Wolverine offense awaken, going on a 4-0 scoring streak to snap an 11-11 tie and grabbing a 15-11 advantage. The Wolverine defense held off the Badgers from there as Hunt led Michigan with six kills and Paz added five in a 25-20 win. It was a completely different Michigan team out of intermission, hitting .394 -- its highest set percentage of the night -- and committing just three attack errors.
The Wolverines return to action on Saturday night (Oct. 31) when they host Iowa at 7 p.m. MGoBlue.com will carry live audio coverage and live match statistics of the Halloween night affair.
N O T E S
• Michigan dropped its season series with Wisconsin for the first time since the 2007 campaign.
• The two teams combined for nine service errors in set one, one more than the eight combined attack errors between the teams.
• Michigan freshman setter Catherine Yager made her home debut with the Maize and Blue, entering the second set for two service opportunities.
• Junior/sophomore Karlee Bruck saw game action Friday night, the first time she has played in 28 days, contributing two kills on four swings in her return to the court. Bruck last played Oct. 2 vs. Northwestern.
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
