Michigan
17-13, 7-12Big Ten
Wisconsin
27-3, 17-2Big Ten
Michigan Swept at Home by No. 5-Ranked Wisconsin
11/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Result:Â #5 Wisconsin 3, Michigan 0 (15-7, 15-11, 15-8)
Records:Â U-M (17-13, 7-12 Big Ten), UW (27-3, 17-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match:Â Saturday, Nov. 25 -- vs. Northwestern (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team lost to No. 5 Wisconsin 3-0 (15-7, 15-11, 15-8) on Friday evening (Nov. 24) at Cliff Keen Arena. Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS) led the Wolverines with 17 kills.
Wisconsin jumped on Michigan early, taking a 4-0 lead in the first game until Joana Fielder's (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) kill gained a sideout for the Maize and Blue. After 10 consecutive sideouts the Wolverines gained their first point on a kill by Pittenger. Pittenger helped U-M cut the Badger lead to 4-3 with two kills assisted by Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS), but that was the closest Michigan got in the first game, which it lost 15-7.
Michigan came out strong in the second set and took its first lead of the night at 2-0. Wisconsin battled back going up 3-2, but the Wolverines matched their fifth-ranked opponent and took a 10-7 lead. At that point the Wolverines ran out of gas and saw the Badgers score five straight points to regain the lead at 12-10 on way to a 15-11 second-game victory.
The Wolverines came out in the third game and matched the Badgers at 5-5, but the talented Wisconsin squad took control and won the final game 15-8.
Despite being swept, Wolverine head coach Mark Rosen was pleased with his team's effort. "There was athleticism out on the court tonight. They (Wisconsin) have an outstanding team, but we gave everything we could. We had players diving all over the place, and I'm proud of the way they competed."
The Wolverines will play their last regular-season contest tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 25) as they host Northwestern (Nov. 25) at 7 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena. Michigan will honor its five seniors prior to the match.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 55 (Alija Pittenger 17); UW 61 (Jenny Maastricht 20)
Assists: U-M 53 (Shanon Melka 42); UW 58 (Lizzy Fitzgerald 48)
Service Aces: U-M 0; UW 8 (Meggan Kohnen 3)
Digs: U-M 37 (Sarah Behnke 11); UW 49 (Maastricht 10)
Blocks: U-M 4 (Erin Moore 3); UW 13 (Claudia Rodriguez 7)
