Michigan
24-11
Penn State
31-2
Wolverines Drop NCAA Regional Debut to No. 1 Penn State
12/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: State College, Pa. (Rec Hall)
Score: #1 Penn State 3, #19 Michigan 0 (30-15, 30-18, 30-18)
Records: U-M (24-11), PSU (30-2)
Attendance: 3,779
Next U-M Event: Season Completed
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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Playing in its first NCAA regional match in program history, the No. 19 University of Michigan volleyball team suffered a three-game defeat to host No. 1 Penn State (30-15, 30-18, 30-18) Friday night (Dec. 7) in Rec Hall.
Needing three blocks to become Michigan's all-time leader, senior Lyndsay Miller (Ida, Mich./Ida) waited until game point to string together the stops she needed to reach the pinnacle of Wolverine blockers. The Wolverines' career kills leader, senior Katie Bruzdzinski (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North), spearheaded the U-M attack with 10 kills. Senior Stesha Selsky (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Marymount) added to her record-setting defensive numbers with eight digs to complete the 2007 senior class' triumvirate of career leaders.
Penn State came out blazing in game one, out-terminating Michigan 16-7 and scoring three service aces in a 30-15 win. Miller accounted for most of Michigan's offense with three kills, while fellow middle junior Beth Karpiak (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) managed two. The Wolverines' -.033 hitting percentage belied the Nittany Lions dominance.
Michigan acquitted itself with a much better performance in game two, using three kills from Bruzdzinski early to even up with Penn State at 6-6 early, but the rolling Nittany Lions regained the momentum and pulled out a 30-18 win to pull ahead two games to none. Bruzdzinski came back with five kills in the period on 11 swings, while Michigan's serving served notice with two aces from sophomore Megan Bower (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) and one from junior Kerry Hance (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount). Freshman Lexi Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) set a U-M record for most single-season assists with her helper on Bruzdzinski's kill to make it 26-16 late.
After the break, Penn State quickly put together a 10-3 lead in the third game. Michigan looked to grab momentum with a kill followed by a block from Bruzdzinski, but the Nittany Lions regained control and extended their lead to 20-8. The Wolverine captain once again tried to spark a rally, reaching double digit kills for the 111th time in her career with a pair of late kills to chip away at the Penn State lead.
Michigan refused to go quietly, stringing together six straight points facing game point at 29-12. Karpiak scored a kill, before Miller and Bower set up a wall at the net to record blocks on three of the next five plays. Selskey sandwiched a service ace into the late surge before Penn State was able to put the final point on the board.
Michigan wraps up a 24-win campaign, the third-highest total in program history and the most under head coach Mark Rosen.
