Michigan
10-1 (1-0)
Iowa
8-4 (0-1)
U-M Rolls to Road Sweep Over Iowa in Big Ten Opener
9/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena)
Score: Michigan def. Iowa 3-0 (37-35, 30-14, 30-23)
Records: U-M (10-1, 1-0 Big Ten), Iowa (8-4, 0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sept. 25 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CDT
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Freshman Lyndsay Miller (Ida, Mich./Ida) had a match-high 14 kills, leading four Wolverines who posted double-digit kills, as the University of Michigan volleyball team swept Iowa 3-0 (37-35, 30-14, 30-23) in both teams' Big Ten opener Friday night (Sept. 24) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Michigan improves to a program-record 10-1 and opens the conference season 1-0, while Iowa drops to 8-4 and 0-1 in the Big Ten.
Freshman Katie Bruzdzinski (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) and senior Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) each posted 13 kills, while sophomore Megan Bowman (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) had 12 kills and four blocks. Bruzdzinski recorded the first double-double of her career with 15 digs, while senior Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial) had her third consecutive double-double with 45 assists and 14 digs.
Michigan survived five game points to take game one, 37-35. Iowa took a 29-27 lead after a Michigan net violation, but a pair of kills from Gandolph brought the Wolverines back from the brink, tying the game at 29. Iowa's Staci Vitali put the Hawkeyes up 30-29, but Bowman produced an athletic kill in the middle to knot it up, 30-30. Iowa put up the next score, but a powerful kill by Bruzdzinski and a block on the outside by sophomore Erin Cobler (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) gave Michigan a 32-31 lead and game point. Iowa tied it, but Miller notched a kill to keep Michigan ahead before the Hawkeyes rallied with two straight points to put Michigan on the brink again, 35-34. Cobler tied the game at 35 with another kill and Gamalski tipped a misplayed Hawkeye ball at the net to give Michigan a 36-35 lead. This time, the Wolverines applied more pressure than the Hawkeyes could handle and Michigan took the game on an Iowa error.
The Wolverines never trailed in game two, taking a 5-4 lead and transforming it into a 20-8 chasm after kicking off a 15-4 run. Michigan did not ease off in the second half of the game, finishing on a 15-6 run to post a 30-14 victory.
The Wolverines wrap up their first Big Ten road weekend of the season at No. 1 Minnesota Saturday (Sept. 25) at 7 p.m. CDT. The Golden Gophers are 11-1 and 1-0 in the Big Ten after winning their conference opener against Michigan State.
N O T E S
• Michigan's 10-1 start is the best in program history. The 1987 squad went 11-2 to begin the season, while the 1983 squad went 10-2 to start its campaign.
• U-M has won its last three Big Ten openers.
• The Wolverines are undeated on the road this season (3-0).
• Lisa Gamalski recorded the 400th kill of her career at Iowa.
• Michigan's 37 points against Iowa in game one were the most points U-M had scored in 363 days. The Wolverines scored 37 points against Ohio State in a 37-35 game one win on September 26, 2003. Coincidentally, it was both teams' Big Ten openers as well.
• Jennifer Gandolph needs 44 kills to break the all-time record.
• Lisa Gamalski recorded her third consecutive double-double with 45 assists and 14 digs against Iowa.
• Michigan has not faced a No. 1 team since 1999 when the Wolverines traveled to Penn State to take on the Nittany Lions. U-M lost 3-0. Michigan is 2-1 against ranked teams in its last three matches, dating back to last season.
