Michigan
13-3,3-2Big Ten
Illinois
10-5,2-3Big Ten
Wolverines Suffer First Three-Set Loss, Fall to Illinois
10/11/2024 9:25:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan fell to Illinois in three sets.
» Allison Jacobs led the team with 13 kills.
» Jacque Boney and Serena Nyambio combined for 10 kills and just one error.
» Morgan Burke had 29 assists and three aces both leading the team.
Ann Arbor, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team fell in three sets to Illinois (19-25, 22-25, 20-25) on Friday night, Oct. 11, at Crisler Center.
Michigan (13-2, 2-2 Big Ten) was led on the night by the middles, Jacque Boney and Serena Nyambio, who combined to record 10 kills on 22 attacks with just one error, while Allison Jacobs led the team with 13 kills. Morgan Burke registered 29 assists, one kill and three aces, while Maddi Cuchran added a team-leading 13 digs.
Illinois (9-5, 1-3 Big Ten) opened the match with two straight points, but the Wolverines tied the match at three after a kill from Burke and two from Valentina Vaulet. The Fighting Illini regained the lead and led at 10-7 before a 6-1 Wolverine run. Jacobs tallied three kills on the run while Vaulet added one. With U-M leading 13-11, Illinois took a timeout and won the next point. Michigan took two of the next three points, but seven straight points for Illinois put them in front 20-15. After kills from Ella Demetrician and Vaulet, the Illini got two more on the board, forcing the second U-M timeout. Illinois reached set point, but two attack errors kept the Wolverines in it. On Illinois's third chance, they converted and won the first set 25-19.
The second set opened with Illinois taking the first point, but the Wolverines responded with a 7-2 run led by two kills from Nyambio and an ace from Vaulet. Following a kill from Boney, which put Michigan up 7-3, Illinois called a timeout. The teams traded the next few points before Illinois scored three straight points to cut the Michigan lead to just two at 13-11. Michigan countered and took six of the next eight points, led by three kills from Jacobs. Illinois took their second timeout of the set down 19-13 and went on an 8-2 run after the timeout to tie the match at 21. Vaulet gave the Wolverines the lead with a kill, but the Fighting Illini took the set's final four points to win 25-22.
Illinois led the third set from start to finish and opened on a 4-0 run. The Wolverines stayed around, though, and with two aces from Burke brought the score to 11-9, forcing an Illinois timeout. The strong showing from Burke continued with another ace after the timeout, and then a kill from Demetrician tied the match at 11. The Fighting Illini did not give up the lead and went on a 4-0 run to force a Michigan timeout. U-M could not string together a substantial run and could only bring the score as close as two for the rest of the set. Taking another timeout down 22-18, Michigan forced an Illinois service error, but the Illini took three of the last four points of the set to win the third set 25-20.
The Wolverines will face off against Ohio State on Sunday, Oct. 13, in Columbus, Ohio, at the Schottenstein Center at 1 p.m. and streaming on Big Ten Plus.
