Michigan
9-3
Toledo
4-6
Michigan Returns to Winning Ways with Sweep of Toledo
9/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Result:Â #25 Michigan 3, Toledo 0 (15-8, 15-6, 15-6)
Records:Â U-M (9-3), Toledo (4-6)
Next U-M Match:Â Friday, Sept. 29 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 7 p.m. CDT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The 25th-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team returned home after a five-match absence to sweep Mid-American Conference foe Toledo 3-0 (15-8, 15-6, 15-6) on Tuesday (Sept. 26) at Cliff Keen Arena. Ten different Wolverines played and recorded kills as Michigan held Toledo to a hitting percentage of .050 (31-26-101)Â while running its 2000 record to 9-3 overall and a perfect 4-0 at home.
Michigan took control early in the first game, going on an 8-0 run that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 8-1 lead. Michigan controlled play at the net, led by four game-one blocks from Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS), and held the Rockets to a -.031 (7-8-32) hitting percentage in the game. After Michigan pushed its lead to 10 at 14-4, Toledo attempted a comeback on a four-point rally to cut the deficit to six (14-8). However, the comeback attempt failed when junior Nicole Kacor (Chicago, Ill./ Mother McAuley HS) recorded match point on an ace to give Michigan a 15-8 game-one win. Senior Sarah Behnke (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore HS) provided a strong service game as the Wolverines scored eight points off her serve in game one. Outside hitters Pittenger and Kacor pounded out four and five kills, respectively, while Katrina Lehman (West Bloomfield, Mich./Marian HS) hit .333 (3-1-6) for the game.
The Wolverines stormed out to a 10-0 lead in game two as junior middle blocker Annie Maxwell (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) hit .375 (5-2-8) to pace the Wolverine attack. Michigan eventually pushed its lead to 14-2 before Toledo went on another late four-point rally. Again Michigan stopped the rally right there as the Wolverines notched the final point of the game off the serve of freshman Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) for a 15-6 game-two win and a 2-0 match lead heading into intermission. Reedus and fellow true freshman Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Tiffin HS), who hit .300 (6-3-10) for the match, came off the bench in game two to receive their most extensive action of the season together.
Game three was no different for the Wolverines as they opened up with eight unanswered points. Junior setter Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) led the way as the Wolverines scored six straight points off her serve to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 lead. Melka also delivered 37 assists and hit .375 (4-1-8) for the match. After Toledo cut the lead to 8-4, freshman outside hitter Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS), who hit .571 (5-1-7) in game three, took control at the net and led the Maize and Blue on a 7-2 run to close out Toledo 15-6 in game three. Poquette joined Reedus and Moore to give Michigan three freshman along the front line in game three. The trio responded well, helping Michigan to a game-three hitting percentage of .310 (13-4-29), while holding Toledo to just .000 (10-10-30).
Michigan returns to Big Ten Conference action on Friday (Sept. 29, 7 p.m. CDT) with a match at Illinois.
MATCH BESTS
Kills: U-M 49 (Nicole Kacor 7); Toledo 31 (Becky Radomski 11)
Assists: U-M 42 (Shannon Melka 37); Toledo 27 (Carrie McCaw 23)
Service Aces: U-M 5 (five players with 1); Toledo 1 (Bitsy Mayhle 1)
Digs: U-M 32 (Melka 6); Toledo 25 (Theresa Estes 6)
Blocks: U-M 9.5 (Alija Pittenger 5); Toledo 7 (Jessica Buck 3)
NOTES
• Michigan is now 11-0 all-time vs. Toledo.
• Chantel Reedus and Erin Moore both registered career bests in kills with four and six, respectively.
• For the first time this season 10 different Wolverines recorded a kill, while none reached double digits in kills for the match.
• Shannon Melka led the Wolverines in digs for the first time this season, with six.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the match in general ... "I thought we played well at times and not so well at other times, but you have to consider that we were shuffling a lot of different combinations in and out of the lineup. As a result, we were not in sync at times, but it was nice to see some of our more talented young players get extensive action."
On the play of his freshman front line ... "[Erin] Moore, [Chantel] Reedus and [Nicole] Poquette are very talented kids and they make the future of Michigan volleyball very bright. They are a little erratic because of their youth right now, but they are fun to watch because they bring a lot of talent and enthusiasm to the floor. I was very pleased with the way they played in game three when I put them in together with Annie Maxwell, who also played a very solid overall match for us tonight."
