Michigan
13-1, 1-1
Michigan State
10-3, 2-0
Michigan Falls at Michigan State in Four Sets
9/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Score: Michigan State 3, #21 Michigan 1 (19-25, 25-15, 21-25, 15-25)
Records: U-M (13-1, 1-1 Big Ten), Michigan State (10-3, 2-0 Big Ten)
Attendance: 5,225
Next U-M Event: Friday, Oct. 3 C at Wisconsin (Madison, Wisc.), 7:00 p.m.
Boxscore
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The No. 21-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team suffered its first defeat of the season at the hands of Michigan State on Saturday (Sept. 27), falling in four sets in front of a record crowd inside the Breslin Center. Senior Beth Karpiak(LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) posted 15 kills and junior Megan Bower(Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) added 12 in the loss, ending U-M's bid to become the first Wolverine squad in program history to begin the season 14-0.
The host Spartans jumped out early in set one, taking a 4-1 lead before Michigan came back to tie the set 6-6 on a kill from Bower. The two teams traded blows throughout the first frame with U-M keeping the set close before MSU went on a 5-0 run down the stretch to close out a 25-19 win. Karpiak and Bower each posted three kills in the opening set, while sophomore Lexi Zimmerman(Barrington, Ill./Barrington) added 11 assists.
The Wolverines raced out to a 5-2 early lead in set two thanks to kills by Bower, sophomore/freshman Karlee Bruck(Elyria, Ohio/Elyria) and junior Veronica Rood(Temperance, Mich./Bedford). The Michigan lead swelled to as much as eight points, 15-7, and the U-M defense controlled the court down the stretch to secure the 25-15 win. Bower had the hot hand in set two, posting seven kills. Michigan as a team posted 15 digs and held MSU to a .108 hitting percentage.
After the intermission, U-M continued the momentum from its set-two win, taking a 5-3 lead into a Spartan timeout. MSU responded by going on an 8-2 run and never looked back. Michigan got as close as four points late, 23-19, but MSU was able to take the pivotal set three, 25-21. Karpiak was the hot-hand again in the set, posting eight of her team-high 15 kills.
In the final stanza, Michigan State seized early momentum and a 5-3 lead. Michigan countered with a 4-2 run to take a 7-6 advantage. The set stayed close until midway through when the Spartans put together seven unanswered points to go up 19-10. Michigan could not recover as MSU reeled off the six of the final eight points to take the set and the match.
The loss marks the first of the season for U-M and snaps a program-record tying 13-match winning streak to start the year.
Michigan will be back in action next Friday (Oct. 3), traveling to Madison, Wis., to face Wisconsin. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT.
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
