Michigan to Host Oregon Friday in NCAA Second Round
12/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Dec. 2, 2016
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Following a 3-0 sweep of American on Thursday (Dec. 1) in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, the No. 12 seed University of Michigan volleyball team (23-10) will face Oregon (21-9) in the second round of the tournament on Friday (Dec. 2) inside Crisler Center. The match will close out the first weekend of postseason play, and the match is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m.
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NCAA SELECTION
The No. 12 seed is Michigan's highest NCAA seed in program history. The Wolverines have not hosted an NCAA first round since 2009, when they were the No. 13 seed. With Michigan's victory over American on Thursday (Dec. 1), the Wolverines will make their second straight NCAA second-round appearance and their 12th overall.
SCOUTING REPORT
Oregon (21-9)
The Ducks come to Ann Arbor after making it through a tough Pac-12 schedule and advanced to the NCAA second round after defeating Miami (Ohio) in four sets on Thursday (Dec. 1). Through the regular season, Oregon played 11 AVCA Top 25 teams, going 5-6 in that span. The team is led by sophomore Lindsey Vander Weide and senior Amanda Benson, who were each named to the All-Pac-12 Team this year. Oregon ranks second in the Pac-12 and 15th nationally in hitting percentage and ranks in the top 15 in kills per set and assists per set.
THE RECORD BOOKS
History vs. Oregon
All-time record: 1-2
Last meeting: Sep. 13, 2014 (U-M lost 3-0)
Now that Michigan and Oregon have advanced to the second round, Michigan will look to avenge its 3-0 loss from two seasons ago against the Ducks. Both teams have faced off against several top-25 teams throughout the 2016 regular season, with Michigan going 3-7 and Oregon 5-6.
WHEN AT HOME
Following a 3-0 sweep of Michigan State on Wednesday, Nov. 23, the highly ranked Wolverines finished the regular season with a 15-2 record when playing at home, 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 were sweeps and three have come over AVCA Top 25 opponents.
WELSH, COLE, AND MURPHY EARN ALL-BIG TEN HONORS
University of Michigan volleyball senior Abby Cole was selected to the 2016 All-Big Ten Conference First Team, and freshman MacKenzi Welsh received a selection to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team, it was announced by the Big Ten Conference office on Tuesday (Nov. 29), following the end of the 2016 regular season. Michigan senior Kelly Murphy also earned postseason accolades as Michigan's Sportsmanship Award winner.
LERG WRAPS REGULAR SEASON AS B1G DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After averaging 4.9 digs per set with two double-digit dig outings last week against Michigan State and Nebraska, sophomore libero Jenna Lerg was named the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week. She finished the week with 34 total digs, including 14 in a three-set sweep of No. 14-ranked Michigan State and 20 against No. 1-ranked Nebraska. Her performance in Lincoln, Nebraska, clinched her 500th dig of the season, and she is just the sixth Wolverine in school history to achieve such a feat.
23-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 the program's nine-win conference record from last year. With additional victories over Indiana (Nov. 9), Michigan State (Nov. 23) and American (Dec. 1), Michigan has now reached 23 wins for the first time since the 2012 campaign, when the Wolverines made their first-ever Final Four appearance.
Communications contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt
