Maize & Blue Set to Host Michigan Invitational
9/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 15, 2014
| UPCOMING SCHEDULE - MICHIGAN INVITATIONAL | ||
  U-M vs. Youngstown State (Crisler Center - Block Out Bullying) |  U-M vs. Kansas State (Cliff Keen Arena) |  U-M vs. Eastern Michigan (Cliff Keen Arena) |
| Friday, Sept. 19 | Friday, Sept. 19 | Saturday, Sept. 20 |
| 11:30 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Free Admission | ||
| | Live Video | | BTN Plus | |
• Michigan Invitational Page | Ticket Information
• Game Notes 
| Rosen Report 
• At the Net Blog with Olivia Reed
The First Serve
The University of Michigan volleyball team wraps up its regular-season non-conference schedule by hosting the Michigan Invitational on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 19-20). The Wolverines will host their third annual "Block Out Bullying" match on Friday morning at 11:30 a.m. against Youngstown State in Crisler Center. Michigan then moves to Cliff Keen Arena for a 7:30 p.m. match against Kansas State on Friday. That match will be on BTN Plus via BTN2GO. The tournament wraps up on Saturday night against Eastern Michigan at 7:30 p.m. Michigan is coming off losses to Oregon State and Oregon this past weekend.
Scouting the Opposition
Youngstown State
The Penguins are 9-2 after winning a pair of matches at the Wildcat Classic in Evanston, Ill., including a fiv-eset win over Virginia. Lexi Egler had 22 kills in the win over UVA. She is averaging 3.34 kills per set while Dana Borsz is at 4.80 digs per set. The Penguins will face Kent State Tuesday night before travelling to Ann Arbor.
Kansas State
The Wildcats won the Saluki Invitational this past weekend, defeating Marshall, Southern Illinois and IPFW to improve their record to 9-1 this season. Kylee Zumach leads Kansas State with 3.50 kills per set while Kersten Kober averages 3.62 digs per set. Katie Brand is at 11.44 assists per set and Katie Reininger has a team-leading 39 blocks. Kansas State faces South Dakota State on Tuesday before playing in the Michigan Invitational.
Eastern Michigan
The Eagles swept UMBC and Coppin State at the UMBC Maddie Bingham Memorial Tournament this past weekend, moving to 7-2 on the year. Stacey Perinar leads EMU with 2.97 kills per set while Jill Briner averages 9.20 assists per set. Corynne Smith leads the team with 4.23 digs a set and Megan Crawshaw has a team-best 25 total blocks. Eastern Michigan hosts UC Irvine on Thursday night before competing in the Michigan Invitational.
Michigan Invitational Series Records
Michigan won the only all-time meeting with Youngstown State in a three-set match on Sept. 10, 2010, at the Michigan/adidas Invitational. Alex Hunt had 10 kills and Lexi Zimmerman dished out 28 assists in the win ... Kansas State leads the overall series with U-M 3-1. Michigan won the last meeting between the two teams in four sets in the AVCA Showcase in Omaha, Neb., on Aug. 29, 2009. Juliana Paz had 20 kills and Sloane Donhoff led the Wolverines with 19 digs ... Michigan owns a 30-15 all-time series lead on Eastern Michigan. The two teams played on Sept. 14, 2012, at the Coke/Michigan Invitational with the Wolverines winning in three sets. Lexi Erwin had 17 kills and Lexi Dannemiller added 42 assists in the win.
Big Ten Leaders
Junior Tiff any Morales is tied for eighth in digs per set (3.96/s). Junior Carly Warner is ninth in the league in assists per set (10.00/s). Sophomore Abby Cole is tied for 10th in points per set (4.00/s) and is fourth in blocks per set (1.25/s). As a team, Michigan is second in the Big Ten in digs per set (15.25/s).
Volleyball to Host Block Out Bullying Match
The University of Michigan volleyball program will hold its second annual "Block Out Bullying" match this Friday morning (Sept. 19) against Youngstown State at 11:30 a.m. inside Crisler Center. Admission is free for the general public. The event will bring more than 700 students from Ann Arbor and surrounding school districts to campus to participate in fun and educational activities with U-M student-athletes.
CK Finding Home as a Hitter
Freshman Caroline Knop, who was recruited as a libero/ defensive specialist, has been a big key on the outside for the Wolverines this season. The 5-8 Knop had 14 kills and 14 digs in the five-set match at Oregon State on Sept. 12, She tied her career high in kills and set a career high in digs in that match. Knop is averaging 2.36 kills and 2.46 digs a set while starting every match for the Maize and Blue in 2014.
Up Next
Michigan begins its Big Ten schedule with a pair of road matches in the Hoosier State. The Wolverines face Purdue on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. and Indiana Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
