Michigan
4-0
Xavier
1-4
Wolverines Overcome First-Set Loss to Defeat Musketeers
9/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 5, 2009
Site: Cincinnati, Ohio (Cintas Center)
Score: #7 Michigan 3, Xavier 1 (24-26, 25-23, 25-21, 25-13)
Records: U-M (4-0), Xavier (1-4)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 6 -- vs. Notre Dame at Xavier Invitational (Cincinnati, Ohio), Noon
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team shook off a first-set loss to defeat Xavier in four sets, 24-26, 25-23, 25-21, 25-13, on day two of the Xavier Invitational at Cintas Center.
Sophomore outside hitter Alex Hunt (Granger, Ind./South Bend St. Joseph) keyed the U-M comeback with four kills and three services in the third set and finished with 12 kills in the match. Senior outside hitter Juliana Paz (Porto Alegre, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) contributed 19 kills and 10 digs for her fourth consecutive double-double.
After the teams split two close sets, Hunt was the star in the third set, with two of her aces coming during an 8-0 burst that took U-M from an 11-8 deficit to a 16-11 lead. Sophomore middle blocker Courtney Fletcher (Duluth, Ga./Northview) added three kills during the decisive run, and senior middle blocker Veronica Rood (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) closed out the 25-21 win with her third kill of the set. Michigan hit .400 (15-3-30) in the frame.
The Wolverines dominated the fourth set with solid defense, jumping to a 3-0 lead and then using three 4-0 runs -- the last of which included two kills from Hunt, a kill from senior right-side Megan Bower (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral), and a block by Fletcher and Bower -- to build an insurmountable 17-4 advantage. Sophomore libero Sloane Donhoff's (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) 10 digs in the set gave her a team- and career-high 23 for the match, and Bower added nine digs in the set to finish with 21.
Xavier broke from a 10-10 tie in the first set to lead 19-15 and then 23-20, but back-to-back kills by Paz capped a 4-1 Wolverines run and knotted the score at 24-24. Michigan could not complete the comeback, however, committing a service error and an attack error to hand Xavier the early edge, 26-24. Paz racked up eight kills in the set, and Bower added six digs.
The second set was tight until three kills by Paz helped Michigan reel off five straight points to lead 21-15 and seemingly take control. But with U-M up 24-18 and on the verge of evening the match, Xavier took advantage of four Michigan attack errors -- two due to blocks by the Musketeers -- and a kill to make it 24-23. However, following a Michigan timeout, Hunt's kill closed out the set.
The Wolverines will bid for the Xavier Invitational title Sunday (Sept. 6) when they face Notre Dame at noon. MGoBlue.com will carry a live blog as well as live stats.
N O T E S
• With 23 digs from Sloane Donhoff and 21 from Megan Bower, Michigan had two players with 20 or more digs in a match for the first time since Oct. 19, 2007, when Stesha Selsky (29) and Kerry Hance (20) turned the trick against Indiana.
• Sloane Donhoff's 23 digs are a new career high, topping the 19 she had against Kansas State last Saturday (Aug. 29), and a team season-high as well.
• Senior right-side Cassie Petoskey (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) made her season debut late in the match and contributed two kills in three swings to help close out the victory.
• Junior/sophomore middle blocker Karlee Bruck (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria), junior libero Maggie Busch (Toledo, Ohio/Toledo Christian) and sophomore Michelle McMahon (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) also made their first appearances of the season. Bruck had one kill in two swings and added a block assist.
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
