Michigan
Ohio State
Michigan Hosts Ohio State In Blue Out, Travels To Purdue
11/6/2024 11:45:00 AM | Volleyball
Promotions
Nov. 8
• Blue Out the Buckeyes -- Wear blue to the match to support your Michigan Volleyball Wolverines.
• Blue Pom Giveaway -- All fans in attendance will receive a blue pom pom.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team (16-7, 6-6 Big Ten) has a pair of matches on tap, hosting Ohio State (10-12, 3-9 Big Ten) on Friday (Nov. 8) at 7 p.m., before traveling to West Lafayette, Ind., to take on No. 9 Purdue (18-5, 9-3 Big Ten) at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 10). Both matches will air on Big Ten Plus.
Notes
• The Wolverines have struggled in their three most recent matches, all against Top 15 teams. On Oct. 30, they were swept by Penn State at Rec Hall, with Jacque Boney leading U-M with nine kills. Michigan then hosted Minnesota on Sunday and fell in straight sets, with Valentina Vaulet tallying 12 kills.
• With 1,351 career assists in over 1.5 seasons, Morgan Burke already ranks 13th all-time in program history. This season, Burke has 863 assists, averaging 10.03 per set, ranking 50th nationally. She is third in the Big Ten and 43rd in the nation for total assists. Burke also contributes with 24 service aces and 213 digs, both second on the team.
• Vaulet, who ranks second in the conference and ninth nationally with 50 aces, has expanded her game this season. She has 234 kills—just two away from surpassing her freshman-year total in eight fewer matches and 15 fewer sets. As a six-rotation player, Vaulet has also recorded 164 digs, averaging 2.10 per set—an increase of nearly 1.2 digs per set over last season.
• Libero Maddi Cuchran has played every set this season as the team's sole libero. She leads Michigan with 339 digs, averaging 3.94 per set. Cuchran ranks fourth in the Big Ten in total digs and digs per set. Entering the season, she had 221 career digs; this year, she has 100 assists (up from 36) and 16 aces (up from 11).
• With a team-leading .376 hitting percentage and 1.00 blocks per set, Serena Nyambio is having a standout junior season. She ranks fifth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage and is one of six conference players hitting over .370. Nyambio has 163 kills on 346 attacks, with just 33 errors. She also has 12 solo blocks and 71 block assists, recently surpassing 400 career kills.
• In her senior season, Boney has 147 kills on a .288 hitting percentage and 69 total blocks (seven solo, 62 assists). Boney has scored 185 points this season, bringing her career total to 923. She recently surpassed 700 career kills and is tied for 13th in total career blocks in program history with 363.
• Nyambio also leads the team with a .377 hitting percentage and averages 0.99 blocks per set, ranking sixth in the Big Ten and 37th in the NCAA. She has 154 kills on 324 attacks, with just 32 errors, and has recorded 12 solo blocks and 64 block assists. Nyambio has gone errorless in five matches this season.
• Ella Demetrician has contributed in all six rotations this season, with 146 kills and 130 digs. She is one of three Wolverines with triple-digit kills and digs. Among power-four conference players, Demetrician is one of 25 averaging over 1.90 kills per set, one of seven in the Big Ten, and the only freshman in the conference with over 100 kills and 100 digs. She has started nine consecutive matches after sitting out three early in Big Ten play.
• Playing in 110 career matches and 397 sets, Boney is tied for 11th in career blocks and 10th in block assists. This season, she has 163 kills and 76 total blocks. Over the past two matches, Boney recorded 16 kills and seven blocks, including leading the team in kills with nine against Penn State.
• Ohio State is 10-12 on the season and 3-9 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes have conference wins over Northwestern, Iowa, and Michigan State and are on a two-match winning streak. Michigan is 29-59 all-time against Ohio State but has won the last two match-ups, including a four-set win earlier this season in Columbus.
• No. 9 Purdue enters the weekend at 18-5 and 9-3 in the Big Ten. In conference play, the Boilermakers' only losses are to other Top 10 teams: Penn State, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Michigan trails in the all-time series against Purdue 27-56. The Wolverines' most recent win against Purdue came in 2018. Last season, the Boilermakers swept Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.
