Michigan
Penn State
U-M to Welcome No. 15 Penn State for Pink Match, Rutgers to Keen Arena
11/11/2021 5:27:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan takes on No. 15 Penn State on Friday night (Nov. 12) for its annual Pink Match.
» The Wolverines look to avenge a four-set loss to the Nittany Lions last week.
» U-M will welcomes Rutgers to Ann Arbor for the teams' only meeting this season on Saturday (Nov. 13).
THIS WEEK
Friday, Nov. 12 -- vs. #15 Penn State (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, Nov. 13 -- vs. Rutgers (Cliff Keen Arena), 6 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Stats | Live Video
• Complete Game Notes (PDF) | Rosen Report
PROMOTIONS
• Nov. 12: Pink Match, Chalk Talk #2
• Nov. 13: Postmatch Serves
• Complete Promotions Schedule
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team (14-9, 7-7 Big Ten) returns to Cliff Keen Arena this weekend, taking on No. 15-ranked Penn State (17-7, 10-4 Big Ten) on Friday (Nov. 12) at 7 p.m., before facing off with Rutgers (8-17, 0-14 Big Ten) on Saturday (Nov. 13) at 6 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+.
Friday night also will be the Wolverines' annual Pink Match, with fans encouraged to wear pink to help raise awareness toward the fight against breast cancer.
Wolverine Bites
• Redshirt sophomore Jess Mruzik has an active streak of 11 consecutive matches with double-digit kills and has reached at least 10 in 15 of the last 16 matches. The Livonia, Mich., native ranks ninth in the Big Ten in kills per set (3.55).
• Senior Paige Jones has upped her production over the last four weeks of Big Ten play, finishing with double-digit kills in six straight matches and seven out of the last eight. The New Bremen, Ohio, native has had 15 kills or more in four of those instances, averaging 4.35 kills per set and hitting .257 in that eight-match stretch. Jones now ranks seventh in the conference in kills per set at 3.68.
• One of the biggest improvements for the Wolverines continues to come in their blocking. After being out-blocked an average of 3.12 to 1.46 per set this spring, Michigan has flipped the script and is out-blocking opponents 2.34 to 1.84. The addition of Jacque Boney (1.10 blocks per set) has helped, but U-M has seen career-high blocks-per-set numbers from senior Paige Jones (0.44 per set), juniors May Pertofsky (0.97 per set), Jess Robinson (1.00 per set), and sophomore Jess Mruzik (0.48 per set).
• Junior May Pertofsky continues to be the class of the Big Ten when it comes to performance at the service line, leading the nation's best conference with 0.51 aces per set.
• Several other Wolverines find themselves ranked in the Big Ten's top 10 in statistical categories, as senior Paige Jones sits seventh in kills per set (3.68), sophomores Scottee Johnson and Jess Mruzik each rank ninth in their respective categories, with Johnson averaging 9.76 assists per set and Mruzik 3.55 kills per set, while redshirt sophomore Hannah Grant ranks 10th in digs per set (4.17).
• Michigan ranks in the top half of the Big Ten in multiple team categories as well, sitting in third in service aces (1.52), third in opponent blocks (1.84), fifth in hitting percentage (.255), sixth in opponent kills (12.11) and digs (14.77), and seventh in kills (13.16).
• The Big Ten Conference has eight programs represented in the top 30 of the NCAA RPI rankings. Wisconsin (fifth) leads all teams, followed by Ohio State (ninth), Purdue (10th), Minnesota (11th), Nebraska (15th), Penn State (19th), Illinois (28th) and Michigan (29th).
Last Time Out
• After not playing one another in more than two years, Michigan and Penn State play for the second time in a week on Friday. The Wolverines and Nittany Lions locked in a great match in State College, with PSU coming out on top in four sets (22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23).
• Michigan had an outstanding offensive weekend on its trip to Pennsylvania and Maryland last week, hitting .335 in its two matches, with sophomore setter Scottee Johnson averaging 11.00 assists per set. The Wolverines averaged 14.86 kills per set as a team, led by senior Paige Jones that had a 4.71 mark.
• The most impressive team stat from the trip came Sunday (Nov. 7) against Maryland as the Wolverines not only out-blocked the nation's No. 1 blocking team, but they held them without a single block. The Terrapins came into the match averaging more than three blocks per set and still lead the country with a 3.08 mark.
• Joining the offensive barrage over the weekend was Kendall Murray, who took the opportunity playing right side and made the best of it. The sophomore, who had seen the bulk of her playing time this season as a defensive specialist, erupted for a season-high 14 kills while hitting .571 and added 14 digs against the Nittany Lions. Murray followed that with a nine-kill performance against Maryland, hitting an outstanding .615.
• Fellow sophomore Jess Mruzik had another steady weekend for the Maize and Blue, averaging 3.57 kills per set and hitting .281 for the weekend. The Livonia, Michigan native had 15 kills and 16 digs in Michigan's four-set loss to Penn State Friday (Nov. 5), and followed it up with a 10-kill performance while hitting .391 against Maryland Sunday (Nov. 7).
Opponent Preview
Penn State
Michigan trails in the all time series 53-5
Michigan and Penn State played a tight contest just one week ago (Friday, Nov.5) with the Nittany Lions pulling out the match in four sets (22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23). This Friday's match will be the first Penn State has played in Cliff Keen Arena since the 2016 season, having played their last two matches in Ann Arbor in Crisler Center.
Senior Jonni Parker leads the Nittany Lions in kills per set on the season with a 3.89 average and sits fourth in the conference with 392.5 points on the season. Offensively, senior Kaitlyn Hord has been a key factor in Penn State's success, hitting at a .432 clip and averaging 2.94 kills per set on the season. The middle blocker also is third in the Big Ten in blocks per set (1.39). Senior setter Gabby Blossom is averaging a robust 10.96 assists per set, good for third in the Big Ten, and libero Jenna Hampton is ninth in the conference with 4.19 digs per set.
Penn State has won three consecutive matches, defeating Michigan and Michigan State last weekend. The Nittany Lions maintained their position as the No. 15 team in the AVCA poll and are 19th in the RPI ratings.
Rutgers
Michigan leads the all time series 8-0
Michigan has won every game of the series against Rutgers, most recently turning the Scarlet Knights aside in straight sets in 2019. U-M has won in straight sets over RU in the last four matches and six of the eight matches overall.
Beka Kojadinovic leads the Rutgers offense, averaging 2.85 kills and 3.47 points per set. She has 29 service aces on the campaign and is 10th in the Big Ten in aces per set (0.33). Libero Madyson Chitty leads the team in digs (3.52) and Inna Balyko is the team leader in assists per set (8.58).
Rutgers has a record of 8-17 on the season and owns a 0-14 conference record. Last weekend, the Scarlet Knights took sets off Michigan State and No. 8 Purdue, but ultimately lost to both the Spartans and Boilermakers in four sets.
Up Next
Friday, Nov. 19 -- at Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.), 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 21 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 1 p.m.
