Michigan
17-2, 6-2B1G
Maryland
12-8, 3-5B1G
Back Row Defense Pushes Michigan to Victory at Maryland
10/14/2018 4:13:00 PM | Volleyball
» Carly Skjodt posted her fourth double-double of the season with a team-leading 21 kills and14 digs.
» Libero Jenna Lerg led Michigan with 21 digs for her eighth 20-dig performance of the year.
» Michigan dropped the first set, but rallied for three straight set wins to take the match.
Site: College Park, Md. (Xfinity Center Pavilion)
Score: #13 Michigan 3, Maryland 1 (19-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-15)
Records: U-M (17-2, 6-2 B1G), Maryland (12-8, 3-5 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Oct. 19 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 7 p.m. CDT
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Backed by a kill-dig double-double from senior outside hitter Carly Skjodt and a 21-dig effort from senior libero Jenna Lerg, the No. 13-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team overcame a first-set loss and rallied for a 3-1 victory over the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 14) at Xfinity Center Pavilion.
The victory, which marked the Wolverines' fourth straight, pushed Michigan's record to 17-2 on the season and 6-2 in Big Ten Conference action. The Wolverines are in the middle of a four-match road swing.
Skjodt led the Wolverine offense with 21 kills in the effort -- including seven in the third set and eight in the fourth -- and finished with a .380 hitting percentage and 14 digs for her fourth double-double of the season and the 21st of her career.
Including 21 digs from Lerg and 14 from Skjodt, Michigan had three players finish with digs in double digits as freshman Paige Jones added a career-high 14. From the front row, freshman Kayla Bair and junior Katarina Glavinic led the Wolverines with three blocks apiece.
The Terrapins began the day with a five-point run before the Wolverines called a timeout and got on the board thanks to a kill from Skjodt. Maryland took advantage of numerous Michigan errors in the set and soon extended its lead to six, 17-11, which prompted another Maize and Blue timeout. Despite three kills apiece from Skjodt, Bair and junior Kiara Shannon, Michigan dropped the first set, 25-19.
Michigan took an early two-point lead in the second set, but Maryland worked to keep the score close with five ties before Michigan pulled away, 16-12, and forced a Terrapin timeout. From there, the Wolverines continued to extend their lead as they capitalized on 11 Maryland attacking errors and rallied to take a 25-18 second set victory.Â
The teams traded points to begin the third, but a reversed call on a Michigan challenge gave the Wolverines a 12-8 lead and a service ace from senior Maddy Abbott pushed Michigan to a 13-8 lead before a Maryland timeout was called. Despite the Wolverines leading by as many as six, the Terrapins cut the Michigan lead one 23-22, before a kill from Glavinic and a Maryland attacking error allowed the Wolverines to take the frame, 25-22.
Michigan limited its errors in the fourth set and was able to jump out to a 9-5 lead before Maryland called timeout. The Wolverines continued to pull away, extending their lead behind eight kills from Skjodt and holding the Terrapins to just seven kills. Using a .278 hitting percentage, Michigan took the fourth set by a 25-15 score for its fourth straight victory.
Tweet of the Match
A great road trip wraps up with Michigan beating Maryland three sets to one! Can't wait to have the team back in Ann Arbor!#GoBlue ??? https://t.co/DgN52iil3I
— The Zone (@UMichZone) October 14, 2018
Michigan (17-2, 6-2 B1G) will wrap up its four-match road swing on Friday (Oct. 19) and Saturday (Oct. 20) with matches at No. 7-ranked Illinois and Northwestern. First serve for Friday's match in Champaign, Illinois is set for 7 p.m. CDT and the match will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
