Michigan
11-2, 0-1
Nebraska
10-0, 1-0
No. 22 Michigan Falls to No. 1 Nebraska in B1G Opener
9/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
» Kelly Murphy led Michigan with for the second time this season and the fourth time in her career with 10 kills.
» Libero Jenna Lerg recorded double-digit digs for the 18th consecutive match, totaling a team-high 10.
» The 3-0 loss is Michigan's first three-set loss of the season.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: #1 Nebraska 3, #22 Michigan 0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-18)
Records: U-M (11-2, 0-1 Big Ten), NEB (10-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sept. 24 -- vs. Iowa (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team came up short in a 3-0 loss (25-22, 25-20, 25-18) to the defending national champions and No. 1-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday (Sept. 23) inside Cliff Keen Arena.
The match, which signaled the start of 2016 Big Ten Conference play, marked Michigan's first sellout crowd of the season.
Despite a full crowd donning Maize and Blue, Nebraska took the lead early in the first set on a Michigan attack error, pulling ahead 3-1. From there, the Wolverines fought back to tie the score at 8-8, but three straight Husker points forced Michigan to call a timeout. The Maize and Blue then rallied for three consecutive points on two kills from senior Abby Cole and a Nebraska attack error, tying the score again at 11-1. The following Michigan service error put Nebraska back on top, but a hard-fought Michigan offense tied the score again at 16-16 and 18-18. Eventually, however, it was the Huskers who took set one by a 25-22 score.
Trailing by one, the Wolverines got behind again early in the second set of the day as Nebraska jumped out to a 4-0 lead. A kill from senior Ally Davis finally got the Wolverines on the board, but Michigan took its first timeout of the set trailing 8-2. Following the stoppage in play, the Maize and Blue went on a 6-3 run to close the gap and force a Nebraska timeout at 11-8. Despite Michigan's efforts, Nebraska stayed just a few paces ahead of the Wolverine offense in set two, taking the game, 25-20.
Down 2-0 for the first time this season, Michigan allowed Nebraska the first point of the third set, before a kill from Cole tied things up at 1-1, and a kill from senior Kelly Murphy put the game at 2-all. The point-for-point play was short lived, however, as the Huskers rattled off five straight points to put the momentum in their favor. The Wolverines trailed by as much as eight in the third set of the day but continued to work to close the gap. Despite their best efforts, a .122 attack average was not enough in set three as Michigan dropped its first three-set match of the season.
For just the second time this season and the fourth of her career, Murphy led Michigan in kills with 10 on the night. Cole also added nine, while Davis picked up seven, and junior Claire Kieffer-Wright ended the match with a team-high .333 attack average.
Defensively, the Wolverines recorded seven team blocks and 47 digs. Sophomore libero Jenna Lerg once again led the back row with 10 digs, while freshman Tiffany Clark and Murphy added nine digs apiece. From the net, freshman Cori Crocker led the Wolverines with three block assists, as Cole finished the day with two block assists and a solo block.
Overall, Michigan ended the match with a .118 kill percentage.
The No. 22-ranked Wolverines will look to pick up their first Big Ten victory on Saturday (Sept. 24) when they host the visiting Iowa Hawkeyes. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Cliff Keen Arena.
