Michigan
10-4, 2-1Big Ten
Michigan State
9-4, 1-2Big Ten
Wolverines Spike No. 14 Michigan State in Road Action
10/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site:Â East Lansing, Mich. (Jenison Field House)
Score:Â Michigan 3, #14 Michigan State 0 (30-20, 30-23, 30-27)
Records:Â U-M (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten), MSU (9-4, 1-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event:Â Saturday, Oct. 4 -- vs. Wisconsin (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team played probably its most complete match of the season with a 3-0 (30-20, 30-23, 30-27) sweep of No. 14 Michigan State Wednesday evening (Oct. 1) at Jenison Field House. The Wolverines used a balanced attack to hit .371 (57-14-116) as a team, led by junior Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial HS), who collected 41 assists and hit .667 (4-0-6). The primary beneficiary of Gamalski's work was senior Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS), who put down a team-best 16 kills to go with a team-high 10 digs.
Moore, who hit .414 (16-4-29), was complemented extremely well on the left side by freshman Danielle Pflum (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville HS), who hit a career-high .357 (14-4-28) in just her second career start, filling in for injured senior Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS). Senior Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) completed the trifecta up front for the Wolverines with 10 kills and an efficient hitting mark of .600 (10-1-15).
Michigan really was not challenged in games one or two, setting the tone for the match by hitting a sizzling .472 (19-2-36) in game one. It was much of the same in game two when Pflum took control with five kills and helped a Wolverine attack that hit .333 (18-5-39) for the game.
The Wolverines came out slowly in game three, committing three early service errors and falling behind the behind the Spartans early on. Michigan State actually held a lead as late as 19-17 before the Wolverines found the same rhythm that worked so well in games one and two. The game-three catalyst for the Maize and Blue was the senior Moore, who hit .500 (6-1-10) in that final game and came up especially big from the back row with seven of her team-best 10 digs coming in that final game.
The Wolverines now get ready to face their third straight ranked opponent when No. 20 Wisconsin comes calling to Cliff Keen Arena on Saturday (Oct. 4) at 7 p.m.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen
On the match ... "I thought our team came out very prepared tonight. I thought the biggest thing we did was handle the emotion. These matches are usually emotional matches, and in big rivalries, everybody's nervous. You don't have to worry about being motivated, you just have to know how to handle the motivation, and I thought our kids just came out very composed early on. They were just very steady and didn't make a lot of mistakes in the first two games. We just kept putting pressure on them. I was pleased with how our team came out and stay focused and ready to handle the emotions of the match."
NOTES
• Michigan takes a 1-0 lead in the State Pride Series, won last year by the Wolverines. In addition, U-M drew first blood in the Pontiac Challenge Cup, which awards a point to the winner of the series between the two schools.
• Michigan's win over No. 14 Michigan State marked its first win over a ranked opponent this season. Entering the match, U-M was 0-3 against opponents in the top 25.
• Michigan's 3-0 win in East Lansing marked its first road sweep of the Spartans since Sept. 30, 1992.
• Erin Moore has recorded 10 or more kills in 12 of her last 13 matches. Moore recorded her second straight double-double with 16 kills and 10 digs.
• Danielle Pflum's 14 kills marked the second time in as many matches she has topped the 10-kill mark, and her four blocks, including two solos, marked career highs for both categories.
