Michigan
6-0
Ohio
5-2
U-M Takes Bobcat Invitational in Five-Setter against Host Ohio
9/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
» The Wolverines have started 6-0 or better in four the of the last five seasons.
» Caroline Knop (15 kills) was named tournament MVP, notching her fourth straight double-digit kill effort.
» Michigan played its first five-set match of the season, and improved to 4-0 in the all-time series against Ohio.
Site: Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)
Event: Bobcat Invitational (Day 2)
Score: Michigan 3, Ohio 2 (25-17, 22-25, 25-15, 22-25, 15-7)
Records: U-M (6-0), Ohio (5-2)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 11 -- vs. Western Michigan - Michigan Challenge (Cliff Keen Arena), 11 a.m.
ATHENS, Ohio -- The University of Michigan volleyball team remained unbeaten with a thrilling five-set victory (25-17, 22-25, 25-15, 22-25, 15-7) against host Ohio to win the Bobcat Invitational on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 5) at the Convocation Center.
Junior Abby Cole led Michigan with 15 kills and six blocks, with five kills coming in the deciding fifth set. Sophomore Caroline Knop (13 kills, 17 digs) recorded her fourth straight double-digit kill effort, and sophomore Katherine Mahlke added 11 kills to lead Michigan. Knop was named Bobcat Tournament MVP, while Cole and Mahlke joined her on the all-tournament team.
Defensive specialist Tiffany Morales led U-M with 24 digs and senior setter Carly Warner had 36 assist for the Wolverines, who went to five sets for the first time this season.
With the win, the Wolverines improved to 6-0 on the season, marking the fourth time in the last five years that Michigan has won its first six games. Michigan finished the game with a .208 attack percentage for the match, but the Wolverines were at their best in the fifth set, with nine kills and only one error for an attack percentage of .364. With the set tied at 5-5, U-M rattled off nine straight points to take control of the match. At 14-6, Knop's kill gave Michigan the hard-fought win.
The Wolverines got off to a slow start in the opening set, with five attack errors in the first 17 points contributing to an early 11-6 deficit for Michigan. U-M would get as close as 15-12, but the Wolverines couldn't overcome 11 errors in the set, as Ohio closed out the set at 25-17, capitalizing on Michigan's -.048 attack percentage in the frame.
Michigan was much-improved all-around in the second set, notching 16 kills with only two errors for an attack percentage of .333. The Wolverines led 9-7 before Ohio ran off four straight points to take its first lead of the set at 11-9. But the Wolverines won five of the next six points to regain the lead for good, and held off a run of four straight Ohio points before closing out the set on an Ohio attack error at 25-22.
Michigan continued to control play in the third set, notching 14 kills and only three errors for a .314 hitting percentage en route to a 25-15 set win. The Wolverines were aided by eight Ohio errors in the frame. Mahlke led Michigan with five kills in the set.
In a tight fourth set where neither team led by more than three, Michigan won two straight points on a kill by Cole followed by an Ohio attack error to cut the Bobcats' lead to 23-22. But the Bobcats closed out the set winning the next two points to send the match to a deciding fifth set, where Michigan prevailed.
The Wolverines return to action at home next Friday (Sept. 11) when they take on Western Michigan at 11 a.m. in the opening match of the Michigan Challenge at Cliff Keen Arena.
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