Michigan
18-6, 7-5Big Ten
Indiana
15-10, 4-8Big Ten
No. 13 Michigan Drops Four-Set Match at Indiana
10/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 29, 2016
» Michigan is now 4-4 when playing on the road this year.
» The defeat marks the first time this season that Michigan has lost two consecutive matches.
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (University Gym)
Score: Indiana 3, #13 Michigan 1 (25-14, 21-25, 25-16, 25-23)
Records: U-M (18-5, 7-4 B1G), IU (14-10, 3-8 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 4 -- vs. Illinois (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team dropped its second straight match in a 3-1 decision Saturday night (Oct. 29), falling by a 3-1 score (25-24, 21-25, 25-16, 25-23) to Indiana inside University Gym.
The loss marks the first time that Michigan has dropped two consecutive matches this season, bringing the Wolverines' road record to 4-4 on the year.
Michigan got on the scoreboard first with a kill from Carly Skjodt, but Indiana surged ahead for an 11-5 lead to force a Michigan timeout. From there, however, the Hoosiers continued to dominate the first set, holding the Wolverines to just a .033 attack average while hitting at a .500 clip. Despite a late run by the Wolverines, Indiana took set one by a 25-14 score.
Indiana rode the momentum into the second set, rallying for two straight points, before a Hoosier attack error and a double-block from Abby Cole and Ally Davis tied the score. From there, Michigan used a 5-0 run to take a 7-4 lead and force the first Indiana timeout of the night. Despite the stoppage in play, Michigan garnered its footing and rode out to a 10-point lead, before a stuff block from Claire Kieffer-Wright and Davis forced another Indiana timeout at 17-7. The Hoosiers fought hard toward the end of the game, coming within three points, but Michigan took the set, 25-21.
Following intermission, Cole put Michigan on the board quickly with a tip kill, but a service error soon knotted things up, and the Hoosiers took a 5-2 lead. In spite of the deficit, a serving run from Cole allowed Michigan to tie the score, and the teams played nearly point for point from there until the Hoosiers broke away on a 5-0 run to take a 13-8 lead. From there, the Hoosiers used a .321 kill percentage and six blocks to take the third set, 25-16.
Trailing 2-1, a kill from Skjodt jump-started the fourth set of the night, but the Hoosiers jumped out to a lead once again, going up by as many as seven at 9-2. Despite the large deficit, the Wolverines fought back for a 10-3 run to tie the match at 12-12 on kills from Skjodt and Kelly Murphy. From there, IU responded with three straight points, remaining just one step ahead of the Wolverines for the rest of the match. Despite two more ties at 15-15 and 16-16, the set ended with Indiana on top, 25-23.
For the second night in a row, Murphy led the Michigan offense with 11 kills -- and was again the only Wolverine to total kills in double figures in terminations on the night. Following Murphy's lead, Skjodt and Katherine Mahlke each recorded nine kills.
With the Hoosiers hitting at a .255 clip, Michigan was forced into playing a tough defense, and all but one Wolverine starter recorded a dig in the contest. Libero Jenna Lerg led the back row for the 24th straight match, totaling nine digs, while Skjodt finished with eight for the second most on the team.
From the front row, Cole led the Wolverines with five blocks, while Davis picked up three.
Following a week of play, the No. 13-ranked Wolverines will return to play on Friday, Nov. 4, when they host the visiting Illinois Fighting Illini inside Cliff Keen Arena. First serve is set for 7 p.m., and the match will be streamed live on BTN2GO.
Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt
