Michigan
2-1
Loyola Marymount
1-2
Michigan Tops Loyola Marymount in Straight Sets
8/26/2017 11:58:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan was forced to come from behind in the first and second sets but never lost the lead in the third.
» Senior outside hitter Adeja Lambert led the Wolverines with 10 kills, while Cori Crocker posted a team-high .600 attack average.
» The Wolverines will return to play on Friday (Sept. 1) for their home opener against Butler and the start of the Michigan Invitational.
Site: Los Angeles, Calif. (Gersten Pavilion)
Event: USC/LMU Invite (Match 3)
Score: #16 Michigan 3, Loyola Marymount 0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-23)
Records: U-M (2-1), LMU (1-2)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 1 -- vs. Butler (Cliff Keen Arena) 7:30 p.m.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Despite trailing early in both the first and second sets, the No. 16-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team surged late to pick up a 3-0 victory (25-21, 25-20, 25-23) over the Loyola Marymount Lions on Saturday evening (Aug. 26) at Gersten Pavilion.
Loyola Marymount jumped out to a 4-1 lead, with Michigan's only point coming on a Lion attack error, and extended its lead to 6-3 despite a kill by senior Adeja Lambert and a service ace from senior Claire Kieffer-Wright. The Wolverines inched back, cutting the lead to one on four separate occasions before a Loyola Marymount service error tied the score at 11-11 and a kill by Kieffer-Wright put Michigan up by one. From there, Michigan went on an 8-3 run and the momentum swung in favor of the Maize and Blue. Guided by a .545 team attack average and five kills by Lambert, Michigan took the first set by a 25-21 score.
The Lions again jumped out to the lead in the second set, going up 4-0 before junior Carly Skjodt put the Wolverines on the board with a termination on the 10-foot line. Though Michigan trailed by as many as six in the second set, a kill by sophomore Cori Crocker tied the score at 14-14, but the Lions then pulled away once again. With U-M trailing by one at 20-19, a Lion attack error and a kill by sophomore setter MacKenzi Welsh flipped the scoreboard and gave Michigan a 21-20 lead. Following an LMU timeout, Michigan used kills by Skjodt, Kieffer-Wright and Lambert to force a 25-20 second-set victory.
Michigan returned from the break and jumped out to a 3-0 lead, and the edge was in the Wolverines' favor from there. Though Loyola Marymount never tied the score in the third set, the Lions surged late and fought off three match points before a kill by Kieffer-Wright ended the match with Michigan on top, 25-23.
Lambert led the Maize and Blue with 10 kills and was the only Wolverine to finish in double figures. Despite that, Michigan ended the day with an impressive .325 team attack average.
Defensively, the Wolverines totaled 32 digs, and Skjodt led the way with seven. From the front row, Crocker led Michigan with four blocks and led all hitters with a .600 attack average.
Following a week of practice, the No. 16-ranked Wolverines will return to action on Friday (Sept. 1) when they kick off the Michigan Invitational with a match against Butler. The home opener is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Wolverines' home court in Ann Arbor.
