Michigan
22-10 (10-10Big Ten
Penn State
28-2 (20-0Big Ten)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 3 |
| Michigan | 21 | 22 | 32 | 21 | 1 |
Wolverines' Comeback Effort Not Enough Against No. 1 Penn State
11/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: Michigan lost to #1 Penn State 1-3 (21-30, 22-30, 32-30, 21-30)
Records: U-M (22-10, 10-10 Big Ten), PSU (28-2, 20-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 25 -- NCAA Tournament Selection Show (ESPNU), 8 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team gave the No. 1 team in the nation a run for its money on Senior Night, pushing Penn State to four games in a 3-1 loss (21-30, 22-30, 32-30, 21-30) Saturday night (Nov. 24) before the 1,606 fans assembled in Cliff Keen Arena.
Katie Bruzdzinski
Michigan fell behind two games to none, but U-M fought back to force a fourth period with a hard-fought win in game three. Senior Katie Bruzdzinski (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) was a dynamo in her final home match, finishing with a match-high 26 kills, including eight terminations in game two and seven apiece in games three and four. The super senior also added two service aces and missed a double-double by a single dig, finishing with nine.
Fellow senior Lyndsay Miller (Ida, Mich./Ida) tallied nine kills and a pair of blocks, while sophomore Veronica Rood (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) added nine kills and a pair of rejections.
Senior Stesha Selsky (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Marymount) had 12 digs in her home finale, while senior Sarah Draves (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti) connected for four kills on nine swings.
Penn State came out firing on all cylinders in game one, siding out at 100 percent until 20-12 to earn a 30-21 victory. Bruzdzinski and Rood each tallied four kills in the first period, while Selsky backstopped U-M with four digs. Michigan was able to gain a small measure of momentum at the end of the game, surviving five game points before it gave up the final tally.
The Wolverines made a game of it in the second period but trailed for the duration of the stanza. U-M came within four points late at 22-18 but fell two games to none in a 30-22 defeat. Bruzdzinski tried to put the Wolverines on her back with eight kills on 17 swings with just one error, but Penn State's .515 attack percentage sank the U-M ship.
Michigan won game three in exciting fashion, leading for the majority and fighting from behind at the end to win, 32-30. Michigan led until 26-25 when Penn State jumped in front, but the Wolverines regained the lead, 27-26, and never trailed again to win in extra points. Bruzdzinski slammed seven kills and had five digs in the period, while Miller caught fire with seven kills on nine swings. Bruzdzinski also added two pivotal aces in the game.
Penn State closed the match out in a tightly-fought game four finish, leading from the 12-11 mark on to close out the match with a 30-21 victory. Bruzdzinski added another seven kills to her stat sheet, but Michigan hit just .175 to Penn State's .457.
Michigan will learn its NCAA Tournament fate when the selection show airs on ESPNU Sunday night (Nov. 25) at 8 p.m. Michigan is looking for its seventh NCAA berth in the last nine seasons.
NOTES
• Tonight was the final match in Cliff Keen Arena for four U-M seniors. Katie Bruzdzinski, Sarah Draves, Lyndsay Miller and Stesha Selsky were each honored in a ceremony following the match.
• Seniors Lyndsay Miller and Stesha Selsky each equaled a program record for most career matches as each saw action in their 128th matches. Miller and Selsky equaled Sarah Jackson's (1994-97) record that had stood for 10 years.
• Michigan's 10 wins in the Big Ten Conference are the most since 2003 when the Wolverines recorded 12 victories.
• Michigan's 12-3 home record this season marks the most home victories in Wolverine volleyball history. The team's .800 winning percentage at home is the second highest in program history, trailing the 200 Wolverines and their .846 winning percentage (11-2) at home.
