Michigan
7-2,0-0Big Ten
Dayton
6-5,0-0Atlantic 10
Wolverines Sweep Flyers to Win Michigan Invitational
9/18/2021 6:42:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan dominated on offense, out-hitting Dayton .365 to .100.
» Jess Mruzik's 17 kills led all players.
» Scottee Johnson dished out 31 assists.
» The Wolverines out-blocked the Flyers 8-3.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Event: Michigan Invitational
Score: Michigan 3, Dayton 0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
Records: U-M (7-2), UD (6-5)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 24 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 8 p.m. CDT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team wrapped the final day of the Michigan Invitational with a sweep (25-17, 25-22, 25-22) over Dayton on Saturday (Sept. 18) inside Cliff Keen Arena. U-M's straight-set victory over the Flyers made it a perfect sweep of the weekend, having turned aside both Eastern Michigan and Boston College in straight sets on Friday (Sept 17).
Sophomore Jess Mruzik led the Maize and Blue with 17 kills and 11 digs, the only Wolverine to finish with double-digits in each category. The Livonia, Mich., native hit an eye-popping .516 for the match while adding three service aces and two blocks. Senior Paige Jones and junior Jess Robinson added to an already successful weekend by combining for 16 kills (eight each) and six blocks (three each) in the match. Freshman Jacque Boney led the squad with five total blocks, and Dayton, Ohio, native Scottee Johnson finished with a team-high 31 assists and eight digs.
Michigan and Dayton went nearly point-for-point in the first set, but the Wolverines went on a 6-0 run with Mruzik at the service line to secure the 25-17 victory. With the help of Mruzik's five kills and Robinson's two blocks, Michigan out-performed Dayton in hitting, .500 to .154, and blocking, four to zero.
Set two featured more lead changes, 11 in total, but the Wolverines managed to pull away with a slim three-point, 25-22 win. After Dayton took a one-point lead and Michigan called a time out, the Maize and Blue took advantage of two Flyer errors and a pair of kills from Mruzik to take the second set.
The Wolverines completed the Michigan Invitational sweep with a thrilling 25-22 performance in the final set. After Michigan jumped out to a 5-0 lead, the Flyers fought to tie up the game at 12. U-M inched ahead, but UD stayed close, cutting the Wolverines' lead to just one at 22-21. After kills from Boney and Jones put the Maize and Blue at match point, the final point of the weekend came on a block from Robinson and Pertofsky to close it out.
Michigan had a spectacular .365 team attack percentage while holding Dayton to just .100 on the afternoon. The Wolverines also finished with more blocks (8-3), digs (41-40), and assists (37-24) in the match.
Michigan returns to action Friday (Sept. 24) at 8 p.m. CDT, when it opens the Big Ten Conference schedule at No. 11 Minnesota.
