Michigan
13-2,3-1Big Ten
UCLA
7-6,1-3Big Ten
Michigan Wins Five-Set Thriller Over UCLA
10/6/2024 1:26:00 AM | Volleyball
LOS ANGELES — In a five-set thriller, the Michigan volleyball team defeated UCLA (26-24, 19-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-13) on Saturday night (Oct. 5) at Pauley Pavilion.
After winning the fourth set to force the deciding fifth, Michigan opened the fifth on a 5-1 run. Valentina Vaulet tallied two aces, while Ella Demetrician and Jacque Boney added a block during the run. UCLA brought the score within one at 5-4, but a kill from Boney kept Michigan in front. A kill from Allison Jacobs and a block from Serena Nyambio and Morgan Burke extended the Wolverines' lead to 8-5. The Bruins fought back to within one at 8-7 and 10-9, but both times a kill from Nyambio kept Michigan ahead. Trailing 12-9, UCLA called a timeout and took the next point. The Bruins were able to get within one more, fighting off two match points, but a kill from Jacobs sealed the 3-2 match win and 15-13 set win.
Michigan (13-2, 2-2 Big Ten) was led by Jacobs and Demetrician, who both tallied double-doubles in the match. Jacobs had 19 kills and 16 digs, while Demetrician had 11 kills and 12 digs. Vaulet tied her career high with six aces, helping the team to 11 total. Burke set up the team for success with 52 assists, getting over 50 for the third straight match. Maddi Cuchran led the team with 17 digs.
Nyambio opened the first set with a kill before UCLA (7-6, 1-3 Big Ten) tied the match at one. Michigan took a 4-2 lead after an ace from Mira Chopra, but the Bruins went on a 3-0 run to take a 5-4 lead. The Wolverines countered with three straight points, including two consecutive aces from Vaulet. Michigan took five of the next eight points, highlighted by three kills from Vaulet, to take a 12-8 lead. The Bruins tied the match at 12, which forced a Michigan timeout. Vaulet tallied another kill out of the timeout, but UCLA tied the set at 14. The teams traded the lead four more times in the set, with UCLA having their largest lead at 19-17. A 3-0 run, featuring a kill from Nyambio and an ace from Burke, put Michigan up 22-21. The Bruins tied the match at 22, 23, and 24, but a block assist from Boney and Burke gave Michigan a 26-24 first-set win.
The Bruins led from start to finish in the second set, opening on a 7-2 run. After falling behind 10-3, Michigan went on a 4-0 run led by an ace from Demetrician. UCLA took the next two points after a timeout, but Michigan countered and took five of the following six to bring the score within one at 13-12, with Nyambio tallying back-to-back kills. The Bruins stayed in the lead, however, and extended it to 20-13. Michigan tried to mount a comeback with four straight points, led by kills from Vaulet and Boney, but the Bruins took the final two points of the set, winning 25-19.
Michigan opened the third set with a kill from Jacobs and worked up to a 10-7 lead, led by Jacobs, who added three kills and a block assist. UCLA responded and took nine of the next 11 points to take a 16-12 lead. Michigan fought back and got within one at 17-16 after a kill from Demetrician and a Bruins attack error. The Wolverines took the lead after a kill from Nyambio sandwiched by Jacobs's kills. UCLA hung around, retook the lead at 22-21, and took three of the set's final five points to win 25-23.
The fourth set was a battle early, seeing eight tied scores and no lead bigger than three until Michigan went on a 5-1 run while down 13-12. Vaulet added her fourth kill of the match early in the set, and Jacobs registered two kills before the run, with Burke also adding a kill. Jacobs added two kills on the 5-1 run, while Boney and Nyambio added one, and Cuchran registered an ace. The Bruins took a timeout and got the next point, but Michigan reached the 20-point threshold with kills from Demetrician and Vaulet. With a 20-17 lead, Michigan took five of the final seven points to win the set 25-19. Three different Wolverines tallied kills in the final stretch, with two each from Boney and Jacobs.
The Wolverines return home to host Illinois on Friday, Oct. 11, for Pride Night at Crisler Center starting at 7 p.m.
