Michigan
15-8, 5-6B1G
Iowa
15-9, 4-7B1G
Michigan Downs Iowa in First Big Ten Sweep
10/27/2017 9:44:00 PM | Volleyball
» The 3-0 sweep is Michigan's first of the Big Ten Conference portion of the 2017 season.
» Michigan posted a season-high .465 attack percentage including a season-low eight hitting errors.
» Freshman Kiara Shannon totaled a career-high five kills in the effort.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: Michigan 3, Iowa 0 (25-17, 25-15, 26-24)
Records: U-M (15-8, 5-6 B1G), IOWA (15-9, 4-7 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 29 -- vs. #7 Nebraska (Cliff Keen Arena) 1:00 p.m. Â
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Using a season-high .465 team-attack average including a season-low eight hitting errors, the University of Michigan volleyball team (15-8, 5-6 B1G) defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes in straight sets (25-17, 25-15, 26-24) for the Wolverines' first sweep of the Big Ten Conference portion of the season on Friday night (Oct. 27) inside Cliff Keen Arena.
The Wolverines posted a season-high .465 attack average in the effort, which broke the previous season-high mark of .415 set against Green Bay on Sept. 2.
The win also marked Michigan's first sweep of the Big Ten Conference portion of the 2017 season. The Maize and Blue had not swept a Big Ten opponent since defeating rival Michigan State in straight sets on Nov. 23 of last year.
Individually, junior outside hitter Carly Skjodt led Michigan with 10 kills, while senior outside hitter Adeja Lambert totaled nine kills at a .667 clip and senior middle blocker Claire Kieffer-Wright posted eight kills and led all players with a .778 attack percentage. Freshman middle blocker Kiara Shannon also recorded a career-high five kills in the effort.
The teams traded points early in the first set before the Wolverines jumped out to an 8-4 lead on an Iowa attack error. After that point was reversed on an Iowa challenge and the score was set at 7-5, the Hawkeyes took advantage of the momentum shift and came from behind to tie the score at 11. The rally was cut short, however, as a kill from sophomore middle blocker Cori Crocker gave Michigan a 12-11 lead and ignited a Skjodt serving run that allowed Michigan to score five straight points for a defining edge. With the lead secured, the Wolverines used a .333 hitting percentage and four kills from Lambert to take set one, 25-17.
Michigan dominated the second set of the night, posting a .571 attack average and committing just two errors. A kill by Skjodt gave Michigan an early 1-0 lead and the momentum was set from there, as sophomore setter MacKenzi Welsh guided the offense to 18 kills on 16 assists. With the Hawkeyes unable to string together more than two consecutive points, the Wolverine hitters took advantage and spread out the offense as Michigan took set two, 25-15.
The momentum continued into the third set as the Maize and Blue took an early 6-3 lead on two kills from Skjodt and three-straight terminations from senior opposite hitter Katherine Mahlke. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Hawkeyes used a 6-1 run to flip the score and go up 15-14 before the media timeout. Following the stoppage in play, Iowa gained a three-point edge at 20-17 and again at 22-19, but kills by Crocker, Lambert, and Kieffer-Wright along with a timely service ace by freshman defensive specialist Natalie Smith allowed Michigan to tie the match at 23. Iowa then took a timeout and forced a 25-24 lead as an attack from Skjodt appeared to go long, but a challenge by head coach Mark Rosen resulted in a point for the Wolverines and gave Michigan a 25-24 edge late. A double-block by Kieffer-Wright and Welsh on the next play allowed the Maize and Blue to clinch set three, 26-24.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
And Michigan wins it in 3 sets!!! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/YFBc55rqyA
— Michigan Volleyball (@umichvball) October 27, 2017
The Wolverines will return to action on Sunday (Oct. 29) when they host No. 7-ranked Nebraska. First serve against the Huskers is set for 1 p.m. inside Cliff Keen Arena, and fans can watch the contest streamed live on ESPNU.
