Michigan
15-8,5-7Big Ten
Purdue
19-3,10-2Big Ten
Five-Set Showdown Falls Short for Michigan Against No. 10 Purdue
11/2/2025 5:32:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan took the first two sets but fell in a five-set match to No. 10 Purdue.
» Ella Demetrician recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs.
» Michigan recorded 14.5 blocks in the match, led by Serena Nyambio with seven.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team battled No. 10-ranked Purdue in a tight five-set match (25-22, 25-17, 19-25, 20-25, 10-15) on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 2) in Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan (15-8, 5-7 Big Ten) totaled 14.5 blocks, with Serena Nyambio leading the way with seven and Jenna Hanes close behind with six. Hanes also tallied four kills and an ace, while Nyambio added six kills. Allison Jacobs led the offense with 17 kills, eight digs, and two blocks. Ella Demetrician notched a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs, adding five blocks and two aces. Morgan Burke and Camille Edwards guided Michigan to a .298 hitting percentage, including a .560 mark in the second set, as Burke posted 30 assists. Maddi Cuchran paced the defense with 14 digs and three assists.
Michigan opened the first set on a 3-0 run and maintained control early, using a 4-1 stretch capped by an ace from Hanes to take a 10-5 lead. Purdue (19-3, 10-2 Big Ten) battled back to tie it at 17, but Michigan responded behind Jacobs and Demetrician, taking four of the final five points to win the set, 25-22, capped by a block from Nyambio and Cymarah Gordon.
The Wolverines carried their momentum into the second, jumping out to a 5-1 lead. Purdue closed the gap to one point, but another extended run made it 15-11 U-M at the media timeout. Michigan used a 5-0 surge late in the frame, highlighted by kills from Sydney Schnichels and Demetrician and an ace from Jacobs, to go up 23-14. Jacobs sealed the set from the back row for a 25-17 win and a 2-0 lead.
The third set was close early, with the teams trading points to 4-4 before Purdue went on a 4-0 run to lead 8-4. Michigan answered with a 5-1 stretch, highlighted by a kill and block from Jacobs, to cut the deficit to 9-8. The Boilermakers responded with three of the next four points to regain control and closed the set on a 3-1 run to win 25-19.
Michigan opened the fourth set on a 3-1 run with a solo block from Nyambio before Purdue tied it at three. The teams traded points as the lead shifted several times, with U-M briefly ahead 11-10 after a kill from Nyambio and an ace from Burke. Purdue pulled back in front 13-11, and despite Michigan tying it at 17 and 19 behind kills from Schnichels and Demetrician, the Boilermakers closed on a 6-1 run. The 25-20 win tied the match at 2-2 and sent it into a deciding fifth frame.
Demetrician opened the fifth set with a kill, but Purdue answered to take a 3-1 lead. Back-to-back kills from Gordon tied it at three, and an ace from Cuchran put Michigan ahead. The teams traded points to 6-5 before Purdue regained control at 7-6 and pulled away after an inconclusive touch challenge, using a 6-3 closing run to complete the reverse sweep.
The Wolverines head to the East Coast next weekend, beginning their trip at Rutgers on Friday (Nov. 7) at 7 p.m. in Jersey Mike's Arena. The match will stream live on B1G+.
