Michigan
3-0
Cleveland State
3-1
Michigan Sweeps Cleveland State in Home Opener
8/31/2018 10:09:00 PM | Volleyball
» The sweep is Michigan's third straight and the Wolverines are now 3-0 on the season.
» Sophomore defensive specialist Jacqueline DiSanto set a career high with 14 digs.
» Senior outside hitter Carly Skjodt led all players with 13 kills at a .333 attack percentage.
» The Michigan Invitational Tournament will wrap up on Saturday (Sept. 1) as the Wolverines take on Eastern Michigan (noon) and Harvard (7 p.m.)
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Event: Michigan Invitational
Score: Michigan 3, Cleveland State 0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-18)
Records: U-M (3-0), CSU (3-1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sept. 1-- vs. Eastern Michigan (Cliff Keen Arena), Noon
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team picked up its third straight 3-0 sweep (25-23, 25-22, 25-18) on Friday night (Aug. 31) as the Wolverines defeated the visiting Cleveland State Vikings in straight sets to kick off the Michigan Invitational Tournament inside Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan's back row defense was key in the victory, as the Wolverines totaled 62 digs. Sophomore Jacqueline DiSanto set a career high with 14 digs in the effort, while senior Jenna Lerg led all players with 18.
Senior Carly Skjodt was the only player to finish with double-figure kills as she posted 14 at a .333 attack percentage. Junior Sydney Wetterstrom added nine kills at a .300 clip, while sophomore Kiara Shannon totaled a career-high seven. Shannon also set a new career high with a team-leading six blocks.
The Vikings started the contest on a roll and climbed to a 7-4 lead before Michigan rallied to tie things up at nine and take a lead at 10-9 on a kill from junior setter MacKenzi Welsh. The first set featured six ties and just one lead change, when Michigan took a defining lead at 20-19 on a kill from Skjodt. Michigan maintained the edge for a 25-23 first set victory. Skjodt totaled seven kills in the first set as the Wolverines hit for a .250 average.
Michigan led the majority of the second set after going ahead, 4-3, on a Cleveland State ball-handling error, but the Vikings surged late to close the gap. Despite leading by as many as eight, Michigan surrendered a 5-0 run that allowed Cleveland State to cut the Wolverine lead to one at 23-22. The Maize and Blue answered with back-to-back kills from Skjodt and Wetterstrom to clinch the set and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third and final set began with point-for-point scoring, but the Wolverines gained a lead at 5-4 on a kill from Wetterstrom and Michigan surged ahead from there. Five kills from Wetterstrom, along with three apiece from Skjodt and Shannon, allowed Michigan to cruise to a 25-18 third-set victory and its third 3-0 sweep of the season.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
That's a Michigan sweep! #goblue pic.twitter.com/3B1hMo1r2W
— Michigan Volleyball (@umichvball) September 1, 2018
The Wolverines (3-0) will return to action for the second and third matches of the Michigan Invitational Tournament on Saturday (Sept. 1). Michigan will first host Eastern Michigan at noon before wrapping up the weekend with an evening match against Harvard at 7 p.m. Both contests will be played inside Cliff Keen Arena.
