Michigan
1-0
Louisiana-Lafayette
0-1
U-M Sweeps Louisiana-Lafayette in Season Opener
8/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Score: Michigan 3, Louisiana-Lafayette 0 (25-10, 25-22, 25-17)
Records: U-M (1-0), Louisiana-Lafayette (0-1)
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Aug. 29 C vs. Texas-San Antonio (Houston, Texas), 11 a.m. CDT
HOUSTON, Texas C The University of Michigan volleyball team started the 2008 season on a winning note with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-22, 25-17) win over the Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday afternoon (Aug. 29) at the Rice University Mizuno Invitational in Fox Gymnasium.
Michigan forced an opponent to post a negative hitting percentage in a match for the first time since 2004, obliging the Cajuns to hit -0.51 thanks to dominating Wolverine defense. U-M posted six team blocks through the first two sets, led by sophomore/freshman Karlee Bruck's (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria) four rejections and junior Megan Bower's (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) three stuffs, while senior Kerry Hance(Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) had 14 digs in her first appearance in a libero jersey since 2006.
Sophomore Lexi Zimmerman(Barrington, Ill./Barrington) spread the Wolverine attack around, setting up senior Beth Karpiak(La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) for a match-high 10 kills. The program's career leader in hitting percentage, Karpiak was as economical as ever with her swings, tallying 10 kills on 17 attempts with three errors for a match-best .412 attack percentage. Bower had eight terminations and junior Juliana Paz(Porto Alegre, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) went for seven kills in her Maize and Blue debut, while Zimmerman added six finishers of her own. Bruck also got into the act with two kills in the third set, the firsts of her career.
The Wolverines took control of set one early, going on a 10-2 run and building a 23-10 lead to cruise to a 25-10 victory. Zimmerman fed Karpiak for five terminations in the first set while contributing a pair of kills of her own. Defensively, U-M blanketed the court, combining for 15 digs with Hance leading the way with four. Michigan also took advantage of 11 Ragin' Cajun attack errors and a -.276 hitting percentage in the opening frame.
Louisiana made a fight of it in set two, scrapping its way to a 12-12 tie and forcing U-M into its first timeout of the season. The Wolverines responded, tallying six of the next seven points to build a 20-15 lead. Despite the Ragin' Cajuns pulling to within one, trailing 20-19, U-M never relinquished the lead. The see-saw continued through the end of the set until a Bower termination and serve, leading to a reception error, finished off Louisiana, 25-22.
Set three looked similar to the previous period with the two squads battling back-and-forth in the early goings. Michigan led the whole way, using 10 Louisiana errors and four kills from Bower and three from Paz for a 25-17 triumph.
Michigan continues play at the Rice University Mizuno Invitational Saturday (Aug. 29) against Texas-San Antonio at 11 a.m. CDT and will face host Rice later in the day at 7 p.m. CDT
N O T E S
Senior Beth Karpiak made her 71st career start, while sophomore setter Lexi Zimmerman took the floor for the 36th consecutive time Friday. Zimmerman has started every match of her collegiate career thus far.
A trio of Wolverines -- Slone Donhoff, Alex Hunt and Karlee Bruck -- saw their first collegiate action Friday. Donhoff contributed five digs while Bruck added two kills and four block assists after sitting out the 2007 slate as a medical redshirt.
Junior Juliana Paz made an immediate impact in her first match as a Wolverine, recording the first point of 2008 on a rocketing kill from the left side.
Michigan is now 1-0 all-time versus the Louisiana-Lafayette.
Michigan's next opponent, Texas-San Antonio, fell to host Rice in three-sets (25-13, 25-15, 25-18) in the opening match of tournament play Friday.
Due to renovations at Autry Arena, all matches in the Rice Invitational are taking place in the Henry and Lena Fox Gymnasium, which also serves as a secondary practice facility for Rice men's basketball.
This season teams in the NCAA play to 25 points instead of 30 as in years past. Set five will still be played to 15 points.
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
