Wolverines to Hit the Road for Ohio Invitational
9/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 2, 2015
| UPCOMING GAMES (Ohio Invitational) | ||
| Ohio Convocation Center • Athens, Ohio | ||
  U-M vs. Xavier |  U-M vs. LSU |  U-M at Ohio |
| Friday, Sept. 4 | Friday, Sept. 4 | Saturday, Sept. 5 |
| 10 a.m. | 5 p.m. | 1 p.m. |
| | Live Video | | Live Video | | Live Video |
• Complete Game Notes 
| Rosen Report 
The University of Michigan volleyball team (3-0) is back in action this weekend (Fri-Sat., Sept. 4-5) at the Bobcat Invitational, hosted by Ohio University. The Wolverines will play a pair of games on Friday (Sept. 4) against Xavier (10 a.m.) and LSU (5 p.m.) before concluding the tournament against host Ohio on Saturday (Sept. 5) at 1 p.m.
Morales Keeps Digging
With 41 digs through the first three matches of the season, senior libero Tiffany Morales became the third Wolverine to eclipse 1,500 in a career. She now has 1,509 digs, putting her at third place behind leader Stesha Selsky (2,178) and runner-up Sloane Donhoff (1,918).
Recent NCAA Foes
Michigan will face a pair of opponents this weekend that it has recently seen in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan rallied to knock off Ohio in five sets (3-2) during the second round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. In U-M's last tournament appearance during the 2013 campaign, LSU defeated the Maize and Blue (3-2) in the first round.
6-2 Offensive System
For the first time since the 2006 season, Michigan's starting setter is not named "Lexi." After four years of three-time All-American Lexi Zimmerman (2007-10), followed by four seasons of setting by Lexi Dannemiller (2011-14), Michigan has moved to a 6-2 offensive system in 2015. Senior Carly Warner has gotten the starting nod through the first three matches, setting from the back row. Freshman Maddy Abbott takes care of the other three rotations, coming off the bench in U-M's three matches. Warner is averaging 6.70 assists per set, while Abbott has averaged 5.20 helpers per frame.
Getting Some More Votes
On the heels of its season-opening 3-0 weekend, Michigan received 42 votes in the Aug. 31 edition of the AVCA Coaches Poll. U-M received 12 votes in the preseason edition of the poll.
Block Party!
A noticeable difference during the first weekend of action for the Wolverines was the physicality at the net. Through three matches, Michigan is averaging 3.0 blocks per set after going for just 1.77 a set last season. U-M totaled 17.0 blocks in its season-opening match against George Washington (Aug. 28), the first time U-M had at least 15.0 since Dec. 6, 2013, against LSU (19.0). Michigan's season high in blocks last year was 13.0.
Scouting the Opposition
Xavier
The Musketeers went 2-1 last weekend at the Queen City Classic, knocking off Northern Kentucky (3-0) and Eastern Michigan (3-1) before falling to Cincinnati (3-1). Xavier hits .207 as a team and holds its opponents to a .186 clip. Abbey Bessler leads the XU offense with 4.45 kills per set on a .260 attack percentage. Michigan leads the all-time series against Xavier, 4-0. The teams have played every other season since the 2007 campaign.
LSU
The Tigers (0-3) went winless at last weekend's American Campus Classic, dropping matches to UC Irvine (3-1), Rice (3-2) and Texas (3-0) to start the season. The Tigers are hitting .135 as a team while their opponents are hitting .248. LSU features four players who are averaging at least 2.00 kills per set, led by Cati Leak's 3.00 kills per set. LSU defeated Michigan in the teams' last contest, 3-2, in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. This will be the first regular-season meeting for the teams since Sept. 12, 1998. The series is tied 2-2.
Ohio
The Bobcats (3-1) enter their own tournament after knocking off No. 10 Kentucky (3-1) in Lexington on Tuesday (Sept. 1). OU went 2-1 in a tournament hosted by Big Ten opponent Purdue with wins over Austin Peay and VCU. Ohio is hitting .164 as a team while holding its opponents to .108 hitting. Jaime Kosiorek leads the OU offense with 3.38 kills per set. Meredith Ashley anchors the defense with 5.08 digs per frame. Michigan is a perfect 3-0 all-time against Ohio.
