Michigan to Finish Regular Season at No. 1 Nebraska
11/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 24, 2016
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Following a three-set win over No. 14-ranked Michigan State on Wednesday night (Nov. 23) to cap off the regular-season home schedule, the No. 18-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team (22-9, 11-8 Big Ten) will hit the road to face off against No. 1-ranked Nebraska (Saturday, Nov. 26) in the final match of the 2016 regular season. The Wolverines will go into the match on a one-match win streak, while Nebraska will enter the contest after just its second loss of the year.
KIEFFER-WRIGHT STAYS HOT
Middle blocker Claire Kieffer-Wright has been a force at the net this season, totaling double-figure kills in each of the last seven matches. The junior picked up a career-high 16 kills during a five-set loss at No. 2-ranked Minnesota last weekend, and she's reached double-digit kills in 13 total matches so far this year. From her position in the front row, Kieffer-Wright has also led the Wolverines in blocks 18 times this season, including each of Michigan's three wins over top-25 opponents.
LERG ANCHORING THE BACK ROW
After starting seven matches as the team's libero at the end of the 2015 season, sophomore Jenna Lerg has settled back into her role this season as the libero. The young leader has been a force in the back row for Michigan, averaging 4.21 digs, good for second in the Big Ten. She's tallied double-digit digs in all but five contests so far, including a career-high 39 digs in the Wolverines' only non-conference loss, a five-set heartbreaker at Pitt. She was named to the Panther Invitational and the Michigan/EMU Challenge all-tournament teams and was named the Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 12).
MICHIGAN AT HOME
Thanks to a 3-0 sweep of Michigan State on Wednesday (Nov. 23), the Wolverines finished the regular season with a 15-2 home record, with their only home losses coming against No. 1 Nebraska and then-No. 1 Wisconsin. Michigan has held opponents to just a .197 hitting percentage when playing inside Cliff Keen Arena, winning 44 sets and dropping just 14. The Wolverines' lone five-set home loss came against then-No. 1 Wisconsin in which Michigan fell by a narrow 15-13 score in set five. Of Michigan's 15 victories inside Keen, six have been sweeps and three have come over AVCA top-25 opponents.
THE BIG TEN AND THE POLL
Despite going 0-2 last weekend with losses at No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 2 Minnesota, Michigan maintained its No. 18 ranking this week in the AVCA Coaches Poll with 471 points. The Wolverines broke into the poll 12 weeks ago at the No. 22 spot and are one of six Big Ten teams represented in this week's top 25. At this point, Big Ten competitors Nebraska (1), Minnesota (2) and Wisconsin (3) sit inside the top 10, while Michigan State (14), Penn State (15) and Michigan (18) round out the top 18 teams. Ohio State, Purdue and Illinois all received votes and sit just outside the top 25.
SCOUTING REPORT
Nebraska (26-2, 17-2 Big Ten)
2015 Record: 32-4, 17-3 Big Ten
After finishing second in the Big Ten Conference regular season in 2015, the Huskers went on to win the 2015 national championship in convincing fashion, dropping just three sets throughout the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska currently sits atop of the Big Ten in a tie with Wisconsin and has been ranked No. 1 in the AVCA poll for the majority of the season. Nebraska is first in the Big Ten in hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage at .293 and .142, respectively. With just two losses on the year, the Huskers will go into their last match of the regular season on a one-match losing streak after suffering a five-set defeat at No. 2-ranked Minnesota on Wednesday (Nov. 23).
THE RECORD BOOKS
History vs. Nebraska
All-time record: 3-12
Last meeting: Sep. 23, 2016 (U-M lost 3-0)
Michigan and Nebraska have met just 15 times since the Huskers joined the Big Ten, with the Huskers winning the majority of the contests. The teams played earlier this season at Cliff Keen Arena, where Nebraska swept Michigan 3-0. The Wolverines have never won at Nebraska, and the Huskers boast a 13-1 home record this season.
LAST TIME OUT
Less than two weeks after dropping a four-set match to its in-state rival in East Lansing, No. 18-ranked Michigan swept the visiting No. 14-ranked Michigan State Spartans in dramatic fashion Wednesday night (Nov. 23) inside Cliff Keen Arena. The victory improves the Wolverines' home record to an impressive 15-2 on the season.
22-WIN MARK
A victory over Northwestern on Nov. 5 allowed Michigan to reach the 20-win mark with six matches to go in the 2016 regular season, matching their nine-win conference record from last year. With additional victories over Indiana (Nov. 9) and Michigan State (Nov. 23), Michigan has now reached 22 wins for the first time since the 2012 campaign, when the Wolverines made their first-ever Final Four appearance.
Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt
