Michigan
13-8, 3-6B1G
Michigan State
14-4, 7-2B1G
Michigan Falls to MSU in Midweek Rivalry Match
10/18/2017 9:54:00 PM | Volleyball
Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Jenison Fieldhouse)
Score: No. 10 Michigan State 3, Michigan 1 (25-19, 25-27, 25-21, 25-16)
Records: U-M (13-8, 3-6 B1G), MSU (14-4, 7-2 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 22 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio) 1 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Despite 24 kills by junior outside hitter Carly Skjodt and 23 digs by junior libero Jenna Lerg, the University of Michigan volleyball team (13-8, 3-6 B1G) dropped a four-set match (25-19, 25-27, 25-21, 25-16) to the No. 10-ranked Michigan State Spartans on Wednesday night (Oct. 18) inside Jenison Fieldhouse.
Every Wolverines hitter recorded a kill in the effort, and junior outside hitter Carly Skjodt led the charge with 24, which marked her fourth career effort with 20-plus kills. Senior middle blocker Claire Kieffer-Wright also finished in double figures with 13 kills and led Michigan with a .370 attack average.
» Carly Skjodt posted 24 kills in the effort, marking her fourth career effort with 20+ kills.
» Claire Kieffer-Wright led the Wolverines with a .370 attack average.
» Three players finished with digs in double figures, and Jenna Lerg led all players with 23.
Skjodt also posted 10 digs for her 12th career kill-dig double-double. In total, three Wolverines finished with digs in double figures and junior libero Jenna Lerg led all players with 23.
Michigan State jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first set and forced a Michigan timeout early on, at which point the Wolverines had not yet recorded a kill. The Spartans continued to work efficiently and extended their lead to 17-10, which forced another Wolverine timeout. Despite the slow start, however, Skjodt led the Wolverines with six kills as Michigan closed the gap to 23-17 and fought off two set points before Michigan State clinched a 25-19 first-set victory.
The Wolverines took their first lead of the match with a 3-2 advantage in set two, but 12 ties and seven lead changes made it difficult for either team to gain momentum. Despite the back and forth play, Kieffer-Wright and Skjodt led the Wolverines to 19 kills with seven kills apiece and were both clutch late in the set. With the score tied at 25, Kieffer-Wright and Skjodt came up with big back-to-back kills and led Michigan to a 27-25 second-set win and tie the match at 1.
Following the intermission, the Spartans came out swinging in set three for a quick 5-0 lead and a Wolverine timeout. From there, however, Michigan State extended its lead to 14-6 before another Michigan timeout was called. Though the Wolverines used late runs to cut the lead to three at 20-17 and again at 24-21, it was Michigan State who used a .308 team attacking average and took set three, 25-21.
Michigan took the first two points of the fourth set, but Michigan State gained a 6-5 lead and controlled the remainder of the action from there. Holding the Wolverines to just nine kills at a .103 average, the Spartans took set four by a 25-16 score to clinch the victory.
Overall, Michigan finished the day with a .204 team attack average along with eight blocks.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
When the crowd cheers just as loudly for Michigan as it does for the home team... ??
— Michigan Volleyball (@umichvball) October 19, 2017
Michigan takes set two, 27-25! pic.twitter.com/WIpddsEHFy
Michigan will get back in action on Sunday (Oct. 22) as the Wolverines head to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State in what will mark the last contest of a four-match road swing. First serve is set for 1 p.m. and fans can watch the match live on ESPNU.
