Michigan
20-12, 8-12Big Ten
Ohio State
19-14, 9-11Big Ten
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 25 | 25 | 16 | 25 | 3 |
| Michigan | 20 | 22 | 25 | 20 | 1 |
Wolverines Suffer Four-Set Loss to Buckeyes in Regular-Season Finale
11/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Result: Ohio State 3, #22 Michigan 1 (25-20, 25-22, 16-25, 25-20)
Records: U-M (20-12, 8-12 Big Ten), OSU (19-14, 9-11 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 27 -- NCAA Selection Show (ESPNU), 6 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team could not hold on to early leads in each set as Ohio State knocked off the Wolverines, 3-1 (25-20, 25-22, 16-25, 25-20), on Friday night (Nov. 25) at Crisler Arena.
Jennifer Cross
Senior Alex Hunt (Granger, Ind./South Bend St. Joseph) put down a team-high 12 kills and was joined in double-figure kills by sophomore Jennifer Cross (Scarborough, Ont./Birchmount Park Collegiate), who chipped in 10. Freshman setter Lexi Dannemiller (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) handed out 41 assists and senior libero Sloane Donhoff (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) recorded 17 digs to lead Michigan's defense.
Michigan held a 12-9 lead in the first set, before Ohio State used an 8-3 run to force a U-M timeout with the Buckeyes up, 17-15. OSU continued to increase its lead, eventually taking a 25-20 decision. The visiting team hit .417 in the frame and put down 19 kills compared to Michigan's .294 attack percentage and 12 kills.
U-M faced a 19-13 deficit in the second set before scoring seven of the next eight points, tying the set at 20-20 off a Cross termination from junior setter Catherine Yager (St. Michael, Minn./Albertville). After the teams traded points, OSU took a 23-22 lead off a kill in the middle. Ohio State scored the next two points on a Michigan attack error and a kill on the outside to take the frame, 25-22.
The Wolverines hit .552 in the third frame with 19 kills and just three errors to earn the 25-16 victory. Michigan led wire to wire in the win, jumping out to a 6-2 advantage to force an OSU stoppage. The Maize and Blue did not let up, recording 3.0 blocks and three service aces in the set.
U-M once again raced out to an early advantage in the fourth set, taking a 7-4 lead. The Buckeyes slowly chipped away at the lead, and the teams went point for point, before OSU broke a 14-14 tie with a solo block. Ohio State kept the lead the rest of the way, taking a 25-20 fourth-set win.
The Wolverines will now await NCAA selection, which will air on ESPNU on Sunday (Nov. 27) at 6 p.m. The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament are slated for Dec. 2-3 at campus sites.
NOTES
• Setter Catherine Yager recorded her first career points, teaming up for two block assists with Jennifer Cross.
• Michigan played the match at Crisler Arena, the first time the Wolverines played at Crisler since the 2009 season.
• Alex Hunt moved past Jennifer Gandolph (2001-04) to No. 2 on Michigan's all-time kills list. Hunt now has 1,574 kills in her career.
• U-M is 1-11 when recording a lower attack percentage than its opponent.
• Michigan had won seven of the past eight matches against Ohio State prior to tonight.
• U-M will be in search of its sixth consecutive NCAA bid.
