Michigan
2-9,0-2Big Ten
Maryland
11-3,1-1Big Ten
Michigan Falls to Maryland in First Big Ten Road Match of Season
9/24/2023 3:20:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan fell to Maryland in three sets (25-20, 25-12, 25-21) in its first Big Ten road test of the season.
» Kendall Murray led Michigan with 14 kills in the match, while Valentina Vaulet tallied nine kills and three service aces.
» Brooke Humphrey had 10 digs to lead the team.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team fell to Maryland in three sets (20-25, 12-25, 21-25) on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 24) at Xfinity Center.
Kendall Murray led the Wolverines with 14 kills and added a solo block. Valentina Vaulet had a team-best three service aces and tallied nine kills, while Brooke Humphrey registered 10 digs.
Maryland (11-3) started the match off strong, taking an early 6-2 lead. The Wolverines fought back to tie the match at 6 after two kills from Amalia Simmons and two aces from Vaulet. Michigan took its first lead of the match at 8-7 after a kill from Lydia Johnson and a solo block from Murray. The Terrapins then went on a 4-0 run to take an 11-8 lead, but Michigan took the lead back at 13-12 after a block from Vaulet and Mira Chopra. Both teams traded the next few points before the Terps went on a 6-0 run to take a 20-15 lead. Two kills from Murray, a kill from Humphrey and a block from Saj McBurrows and Lydia Johnson kept the Wolverines in the set, but the Terps managed a 25-20 win.
Michigan (2-9) tied the second set up at 4 after a block from Simmons but could not keep the momentum going. Maryland went on a 4-1 run to make the score 9-5. A Terps service error and a kill from Murray brought the Wolverines within two, but Maryland took the next two to reclaim its four-point lead. Murray got another kill to put the Wolverines down by just two again, but Michigan could not get any closer. Maryland closed out the second set on a 13-2 run.
Maryland took an early 7-3 lead in the third set, but the Wolverines tried to keep themselves in striking distance. A 3-0 Michigan run brought the score within one at 7-6 with Simmons tallying a kill and Vaulet registering another service ace during the run, but Maryland responded with a 5-1 run to take a 12-7 lead. The Maize and Blue continued with a 4-0 run highlighted by an ace from Humphrey and two kills from Murray. At 12-11 Maryland, the Terps kept their lead and extended it again to four points, 16-12. Michigan cut the Maryland lead to just two twice more in the set at 17-15 and 23-21, but could not get any closer and Maryland took the set 25-21 and the match 3-0.
The Wolverines will continue their Big Ten road swing with matches against No. 12-ranked Minnesota on Friday (Sept. 29) at 6 p.m. CDT before facing off against No. 1 Wisconsin on Sunday (Oct. 1) at 1 p.m. CDT. Both contests will be streamed live on B1G+.
