Michigan
2-0,0-0Big Ten
Kent State
0-2,0-0MAC
Wolverines Take DH Against Kent State, Go Unbeaten at Nike Classic
9/1/2024 7:08:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan defeated Kent State twice winning 3-0 and 3-1 on Sunday.
» Allison Jacobs and Serena Nyambio both set new career highs in kills in the second match.
» Morgan Burke led the offense with a combined 74 assists in the two matches.
» Two Wolverines made their debuts with Ellie White and Ella Demetrician seeing their first game action.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In a Sunday (Sept. 1) doubleheader at Crisler Center, the University of Michigan volleyball team defeated Kent State twice, winning the first match in three sets (26-24, 25-16, 25-17) and the second match in four sets (25-18, 12-25, 25-22, 25-14). The victories improved Michigan's record to 3-0 on the 2024 season and in the Michigan Nike Classic.
Allison Jacobs and Serena Nyambio led the Wolverines' offense with career-high kill totals in the second match, as Jacobs tallied 19 and Nyambio registered 17. Jacobs added 14 digs for her second double-double of the season while Valentina Vaulet led the Wolverines in that category with 15. Morgan Burke recorded 74 assists and four aces across the two matches, including 47 assists in the second. Vaulet led the way with eight aces in two matches, and two Wolverines made their collegiate debuts with Ellie White and Ella Demetrician appearing in a match for the first time with the Maize and Blue.
Kent State (0-2) started the first set of the first match with a 5-0 run and led 9-3 early. U-M countered with a 9-4 run, sparked by three Demetrician kills, to bring the set to within one point at 13-12. Kent State called a timeout and won the next point, but Michigan took the next two to tie the match at 14 on a kill from Vaulet. The set stayed tight the rest of the way, and U-M had set point after a kill from Burke, but Kent State tied it at 24-24. However, kills from Nyabmio and Vaulet sealed the first set for the Wolverines, 26-24.
With the second set tied at 9-9 early, U-M went on a 9-1 run led by Burke and Demetrician from the service line, who both tallied aces. The Golden Flashes fought back and brought the score to 19-14, but an attack error gave U-M the ball with Vaulet serving. Vaulet registered two aces and Michigan tallied two more kills on overpasses to reach set point. Two attack errors prevented the Wolverines from sealing the set, but Jacque Boney broke through with a kill to give U-M the 25-16 win.
U-M got out to a big lead in the third and was able to hold off Kent State for the set and match win. With kills from Vaulet and Burke and service aces from Trixie McMillin and Jacobs, the Maize and Blue got out to a 10-4 lead. Kent State cut the deficit to two points at 11-9 and 12-10, but a 6-0 run by U-M, highlighted by a solo block from Nyambio, made it 18-10. Kent State slightly closed the gap down the stretch, but U-M held on, with a Vaulet kill sealing the 25-17 set win and 3-0 match victory.
The second match started with a close first set, as the teams split the first 20 points. Kent State grabbed the next point, but Michigan went on a 4-0 run, led by Vaulet from the service line. The Golden Flashes brought the match within one on two occasions, but six unanswered points had Michigan up 20-14. Reaugh, Vaulet and Nyambio then combined for the final five kills needed for U-M to win the first set 25-18.
Kent State led from start to finish in the second set to tie the match at 1-1. U-M closed the gap to 10-7 after kills from Jacobs and Demetrician, but could not tie that match. The Golden Flashes finished the set on a 10-2 run to win it 25-12.
Michigan rebounded in the third set, rallying from a 12-6 deficit. The Wolverines chipped away with kills from Lydia Johnson, Jacobs, and Vaulet, and an ace from Burke, eventually knotting the score at 17 after a Kent State error. KSU retook the lead, but U-M once again tied the match, as a block from Burke and Boney made it 19-19. A Demertician and Boney block on the next point made it 20-19, giving the Wolverines their first lead since 5-4. In the final five points U-M, Demetrician, Boney and Nyambio tallied kills as U-M won it 25-22, to go up 2-1.
In the fourth set, the team split the first ten points before Kent State took a 6-5 lead. Michigan tied the set with a kill from Jacobs and a 4-0 run, sparked by three aces from Vaulet gave U-M a 10-6 lead. After a Kent State timeout, Michigan was still hot and used three kills and a pair of blocks to put together a 8-2 surge. The Golden Flashes were forced to burn another timeout, but the Wolverines' lead was too big. Michigan got three straight kills from Nyambio and then won the set (25-14) and the match (3-1) on a Jacobs kill.
Michigan will return to the court for a mid-week contest against Eastern Michigan on Wednesday (Sept. 4) at 7 p.m. hosted at Crisler Center and streamed on B1G+.
