#MGoEurope Travel Log: Sunday, June 24
6/24/2018 4:57:00 PM | Volleyball
• Michigan Volleyball in Europe 2018
The University of Michigan volleyball program is on a 10-day trip to Europe (June 22-July 1) with stops in Italy and Slovenia. Follow the Wolverines on social media (#MGoEurope) and with a daily travel log on MGoBlue.com.
Sunday, June 24
The University of Michigan volleyball team continued its #MGoEurope journey on Sunday with practice, sightseeing and the Wolverines' first match of the trip. Michigan was able to showcase the day's travels on the @NCAAvolleyball Instagram account, which has nearly 50,000 followers.
We're taking over the @NCAAVolleyball Instagram today! Follow along for live updates from Milan, Italy ??? pic.twitter.com/2LpdoM6KWn
— Michigan Volleyball (@umichvball) June 24, 2018
7:30 a.m. -- After a good night's rest, the team wakes up for breakfast in the hotel and eats in preparation for morning practice. Italian breakfast is slightly different from American breakfast, but everyone found something to enjoy.
8:15 a.m. -- The team departs for practice, which is just a short walk from the hotel. Michigan then practices for about two hours at the Italian Federation Training Center, where the afternoon match will take place. During practice, the Wolverines familiarize themselves with European volleyballs, which are much different than the balls used back home.
10:30 a.m. -- Michigan returns to the hotel to shower and change before heading out for an afternoon of sightseeing. The girls are not required to wear anything Michigan-specific for the sight-seeing, so they dress fashionably for the city tour.
11:15 a.m.-2:45 p.m. -- The team takes the public tram to the Milan city center for sightseeing and lunch. Upon arrival, the girls break up into groups to explore the city. At the center of the city square is the Milan Cathedral, also known as Duomo di Milano. When the team meets back up, it appears that most of the girls have taken advantage of all the fashion shops that Milan has to offer.
4:15 p.m. -- The Wolverines return to the Italian Federation Training Center for their first match of the foreign trip. Warmups for the match follow international protocol, which means the warmup time is shorter than normal and the teams do not switch sides. Surprisingly, a number of locals came to watch the match despite limited seating.
Match vs. Italian Junior National Team -- After dropping the first two sets to start the match, the Wolverines rallied to take sets three and four before clinching a deciding fifth set by a 15-13 score to win its first contest abroad, 3-2 (19-25, 24-26, 25-19, 25-20, 15-13). Senior Carly Skjodt led the Wolverines with 18 kills for the day, while freshman Paige Jones made a splash in her debut with a team-leading .538 attack percentage and eight kills. Redshirt junior Cori Crocker and sophomore Kiara Shannon led the blocking effort with three blocks apiece, and senior libero Jenna Lerg anchored the back row with 17 digs. From the service line, Skjodt led the Wolverines with three aces, while sophomore Jacqueline DiSanto added two.
7:15 p.m. -- Following the match, Michigan and the Italian Junior National Team eat together at the dining hall on the campus of the Federation Center. There is a language barrier, but it is a great opportunity to learn more about Italian culture and bond over the sport of volleyball. Additionally, the pasta, turkey and vegetables are a great way to refuel after a grueling first match.
9:15 p.m. -- The team returns to the hotel for an early night in! With no practice scheduled for Monday morning, the girls will have a chance to sleep in before we depart for Venice.
• Previous Travel Logs: Day 1
