Michigan
11-5,4-3Big Ten
Maryland
14-5,2-5Big Ten
Michigan Turns Aside Maryland in Straight Sets at Cliff Keen Arena
10/15/2021 8:59:00 PM | Volleyball
» Jess Mruzik led the Wolverines with 17 kills while hitting .414.
» Scottee Johnson had a double-double of 38 assists and 10 digs.
» Hannah Grant registered her fourth match of the season with 20 digs or more.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: Michigan 3, Maryland 0 (25-15, 28-26, 25-20)
Records: Michigan (11-5, 4-3 B1G), Maryland (14-5, 2-5 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 16 -- vs. Wisconsin (Crisler Center), 4:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team kicked off its home weekend with a sweep of Maryland (25-15, 28-26, 25-20) on Friday night (Oct. 15) inside Cliff Keen Arena.
Sophomore Jess Mruzik led a three-pronged attack for the Wolverines, finishing with 17 kills while hitting .414. Senior Paige Jones added 15 kills and eight digs, while junior May Pertofsky had another well-rounded performance of 10 kills, four total blocks and four service aces. The Los Angeles, Calif., native has had four aces or more in two of the last three matches.
On the defensive side of the net, redshirt sophomore libero Hannah Grant finished with an impressive 20 digs and added five assists. Sophomore setter Scottee Johnson had a notable night as well, dishing out 38 assists and finishing with a double-double, adding 10 digs.
Though a close battle to start the match, the Maize and Blue jumped ahead with a 7-0 run after being tied 13-13. The Wolverines finished the first set on a 12-2 run to end the set by a score of 25-15. Despite hitting just .184 as a team in the set, Michigan held Maryland to a meager -.025.
The second set saw the Wolverines lead by as many as seven points, but the Terrapins did not go away quietly. Michigan (11-5, 4-3 Big Ten) was on the doorstep at 24-21, but Maryland (14-5, 2-5 Big Ten) fought back to force extra points. With the Terps one point away from taking the set at 26-25, Jones came through with a clutch kill to even the score. Pertofsky went to the service line and had one of her four aces, and Jones followed up with her sixth kill of the set to give U-M a 28-26 victory.
Set three saw Michigan play in a similar fashion as the second, jumping ahead early and watching Maryland fight its way back. The Terrapins cut an eight-point lead to just two at 20-18, but the Wolverines finished out on a 5-2 run to secure the sweep with a 25-20 win.
Michigan hit .295 for the match and limited Maryland to just .173 from the floor, while also doubling up the Terps in service aces (8-4). Though the Terrapins had more blocks (9.5-5), U-M had more digs (53-40) and assists (45-28).
Michigan will finish its two-match homestand on Saturday (Oct. 16) with a 4:30 p.m. showdown against No. 3-ranked Wisconsin at Crisler Center, a contest that will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
