Michigan
2-0
Miami (Ohio)
0-2
Michigan Stays Perfect at Home with Sweep of Miami University
8/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 27, 2016
» Freshman setter MacKenzi Welsh recorded 10 digs and a team-leading 28 assists in the effort, marking her first career assist-dig double-double.
» With a 3-0 sweep of Saint Louis on Friday, Michigan is now a perfect 6-0 in sets played at home.
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Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Event: Michigan Invitational
Score: Michigan 3, Miami (Ohio) 0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-18)
Records: U-M (2-0), MU (0-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Aug. 27 -- vs. Northern Iowa (Cliff Keen Arena), 7:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Another strong offensive performance from the University of Michigan volleyball team resulted in a 3-0 victory (25-16, 25-20, 25-18) for the Wolverines in the second match of the Michigan Invitational on Saturday morning (Aug. 27) at Cliff Keen Arnea. The clean sweep of the visiting Miami (Ohio) RedHawks means that Michigan has yet to lose a set at home this season.
The RedHawks took the first point of the day, but Michigan cruised to a 6-1 lead off kills from seniors Kelly Murphy and Abby Cole and sophomore Carly Skjodt, forcing an early Miami timeout. After the stoppage in play, a long rally ensued, resulting in a big kill from Skjodt to put the Wolverines up by six. The RedHawks soon gathered themselves, however, going on a 7-5 run and forcing Michigan to call its first timeout of the season. The Maize and Blue maintained a strong lead in spite of the Miami pressure, as freshman setter MacKenzi Welsh connected with Cole for a big kill to go up, 21-15. Michigan's momentum then forced a 4-1 run by the Wolverines, as Welsh and junior Claire Kieffer-Wright held strong at the net for a block assist to end the set by a 15-16 score.
Trailing by one game, the RedHawks came out strong in the second set with two team blocks to take a 2-0 lead, but a kill from Murphy got Michigan on the board, and blasts from Cole and Kieffer-Wright pushed the Wolverines up, 4-3. From there, it was a back-and-forth battle, but back-to-back kills from Cole and senior Ally Davis put the Wolverines up 10-9, marking a defining lead. Armed with that lead, Michigan surged on thanks to kills from Cole, Kieffer-Wright and Skojdt, forcing Miami to call another timeout as the Wolverines took a lead at 20-17. The RedHawks fought to the end, but a solo block from Kieffer-Wright put an exclamation point on the set as the Wolverines took the set, 25-20.
With two sets in hand, Michigan began the third set of the match with a service ace from Welsh and a kill from Skjodt for a 2-0 lead. A Wolverine service error then resulted in a point for the RedHawks, but Michigan answered back with back-to-back kills from freshman Cori Crocker. Two straight errors from Miami then forced a RedHawk timeout, but Michigan's Skjodt responded with two consecutive kills to put the Wolverines ahead, 8-1. Miami continued to fight, but the Wolverines' .350 attack average in the third set proved too powerful, and Michigan surged ahead on kills from Cole, Kieffer-Wright, Crocker, Skojdt and junior Katherine Mahlke. Armed with a 24-18 lead at match point, a solo block from Kieffer-Wright ended the set and decided a 3-0 match sweep to keep Michigan perfect at home.
Overall, the Wolverines finished the match hitting at a .298 average. The perfect 3-0 sweep means that Michigan has yet to lose a set this season.
Leading the Maize and Blue offense during the morning match was Skjodt, whose 13 kills came at a .480 hitting percentage and tied her career high. The effort marks the second straight match that she has led the team in kills, as well as the third time in her career.
In addition to Skjodt's offensive efforts, Cole finished the match with 12 hills at a .393 average, while Kieffer-Wright tallied nine kills at a .500 hitting percentage. Guiding that offensive showing was Welsh, whose 28 assists and 10 digs mark her first career assist-dig double-double.
Defensively, sophomore libero Jenna Lerg anchored the back row with 14 digs, while Crocker, Kieffer-Wright and Cole tallied four blocks apiece to hold the RedHawks to a .078 hitting percentage. The match is also Michigan's second straight with nine team blocks.
Lambert and Crocker get the block-assist match point. Crowd is up and cheering as U-M wins 25-18 and sweeps Miami! pic.twitter.com/GkP4fCAwpB
-- Michigan Volleyball (@umichvball) August 27, 2016
Michigan will wrap up the Michigan Invitational Tournament tonight when the Wolverines take on the visiting Northern Iowa Panthers in the tournament finale tonight. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m. inside Cliff Keen Arena.
Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt
