Wolverines to Host No. 6-Ranked Huskers in Sold-Out Cliff Keen Arena

THIS WEEK
Saturday, Nov. 10 -- vs. No. 6 Nebraska (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team (19-7, 8-7 B1G) will wrap up a two-match homestand on Saturday (Nov. 10) with a Big Ten Conference contest against No. 6-ranked Nebraska. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. inside Cliff Keen Arena. Tickets for the match are sold out.

Big Ten Schedule

With an 8-7 record in conference action, Michigan sits alone in seventh place in the Big Ten. All seven of Michigan's losses have come in Big Ten action. Minnesota, which boasts a 14-0 conference record, is the only remaining unbeaten team.

Last Time Out

Michigan suffered a 3-0 setback (25-20, 30-28, 25-19) at the hands of the Maryland Terrapins on Wednesday evening (Nov. 7) inside Cliff Keen Arena. The loss marked Michigan's first to Maryland in program history, which includes nine total meetings.

Wolverines at Home

Michigan's senior class has posted a 51-14 record at home since the trio stepped foot on campus in the fall of 2015. The Wolverines are 11-4 when playing in Ann Arbor this season, including three losses to Top-25 ranked teams in Crisler Center and one to unranked Maryland (Nov. 7) in Cliff Keen Arena.

O'Leary Makes Collegiate Debut

During Wednesday night's (Nov. 7) match against Maryland, freshman setter Erin O'Leary made her collegiate debut when she took the court in the second set. The change in offense allowed Michigan to tie the score at 24 after trailing, 21-16, but the Terps ultimately took the frame, 30-28, en route to a three-set sweep. O'Leary finished with five assists, three digs and a block assist.

Crocker Returns

After missing more than a month of Big Ten action due to injury, redshirt junior Cori Crocker returned to the court for Sunday's (Nov. 4) match at Wisconsin. The middle blocker appeared in all four sets for the Wolverines, posting four kills on seven swings and picking up two block assists.

Skjodt Leads the Way

Senior outside hitter and team co-captain Carly Skjodt has been the Wolverines' go-to hitter this season with a team-leading 4.21 kills per set, which ranks second in the Big Ten. As a six-rotation player, Skjodt has posted eight kill-dig double-doubles this year and ranks third on the team with 2.51 digs per set.

Freshman Jones Steps Up

Freshman outside hitter Paige Jones has been a force in the lineup for Michigan this season, leading Wolverine hitters in kills nine times and posting 15 double-figure kill efforts. The newcomer from New Bremen, Ohio, ranks second on the team with 3.32 kills per set.

Scouting the Opposition

All-time series against: U-M trails, 15-3
The No. 6-ranked Huskers will enter the weekend with a 19-6 overall record and a 10-5 record in Big Ten action following a Wednesday night (Nov. 7) sweep of Iowa. The Huskers are on a three-match win streak, including a win over then-No. 7 Penn State (Nov. 2). Nebraska's offense is led by senior outside hitter Mikaela Foecke, whose 3.64 kills per set and .295 attack average rank among the best in the Big Ten.

Michigan and the AVCA Coaches Poll

Following a 1-1 week that included a loss to unranked Indiana (Oct. 31) and a road victory over then-No. 5 Wisconsin (Nov. 4), the Wolverines dropped one spot in the AVCA Top-25 ranking this week to check in at No. 15 with 696 points. Michigan began the year as the second team outside of the top-25 preseason poll with 153 votes, but has been ranked in each edition since a 2-0 showing at the War Eagle Invitational to kick off the season.

U-M Ranked 13th in Latest RPI

Despite a 1-1 showing last week, the Wolverines remained at No. 13 in the latest RPI ranking, which was released by the NCAA on Monday (Nov. 5). Michigan is ranked fifth of the Big Ten schools, behind Illinois (No. 2), Minnesota (4), Wisconsin (7) and Purdue (12). Six Big Ten schools rank in the top-16. The NCAA announced the first edition of the RPI on Oct. 1, with the Wolverines coming in at No. 11.

Second Half of the Big Ten Schedule

Michigan's home matches against Wisconsin and Minnesota (Oct. 26-27) marked the beginning of the second half of the 2018 Big Ten Conference schedule. Michigan has faced at least once every Big Ten opponent, with the exception of Michigan State, and is now on a journey to play six conference foes for the second time this year. Though Michigan faced Notre Dame twice during the non-conference portion of the season, a midweek match against Indiana (Oct. 31) marked the first time during the 20-match Big Ten schedule that the Wolverines battled an opponent for the second time.