Michigan
8-2
NC State
4-6
U-M Sweeps N.C. State to Kick Off Michigan Challenge
9/15/2017 10:40:00 PM | Volleyball
» The sweep is Michigan's sixth of the season, and the win is Michigan's fourth-straight at home this year.
» Michigan finished the match with a .348 team attack average, marking its third-highest this season.
» Carly Skjodt led all players with 13 kills and posted a season-high .500 attack average in the win.
» Cori Crocker ended with nine kills at a career-high .727 attack percentage.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich (Cliff Keen Arena)
Event: Michigan Challenge (Match 1)
Score: #21 Michigan 3, N.C. State 0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-22)
Records: U-M (8-2), NCSU (4-5)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sept. 16 -- vs. Milwaukee (Cliff Keen Arena), 11 a.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A .348 team attack average and a match-high 13 kills by junior Carly Skjodt propelled the No. 21-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep (25-23, 26-24, 25-22) of North Carolina State on Friday night (Sept. 15) inside Cliff Keen Arena to kick off the Michigan Challenge.
The win marked the Wolverines' sixth clean sweep of the season and fourth straight victory inside Cliff Keen Arena this year.
Leading the offense was Skjodt, whose 13 kills came via a season-high .500 attack average, while senior outside hitter Adeja Lambert posted 12 kills at a .375 clip. Sophomore middle blocker Cori Crocker added nine kills for a career-high .727 attack average.
The Maize and Blue took the first point of the match on a kill by Lambert and never lost the lead in set one. Despite hitting for a .440 average and holding the Wolfpack to a .286 clip, Michigan never led by more than five. It was a race to the finish as the Wolverines took the first set, 25-23.
Michigan jumped out to a 3-0 lead in set two, but nine tie scores and four lead changes again made it difficult for either team to gain an edge. Skjodt finished the second set with six kills to go with Lambert's five, but it was senior middle blocker Claire Kieffer-Wright who picked up a clutch kill late in the set to tie the score at 24-24. From there, an N.C. State attack error and a final kill by Skjodt gave the Wolverines a 26-24 second-set victory.
The Wolfpack out-hit the Wolverines with a .481 attack average in the third set, but once Michigan did not trail after taking a lead at 4-3 on a kill by Kieffer-Wright. U-M stretched the lead to as many as six points in the third set, but N.C. State rallied late to come within one at 18-17 and force a Michigan timeout. Thanks to five kills by Skjodt and four kills on just four swings by Kieffer-Wright, Michigan took set three by a 25-22 score.
Junior libero Jenna Lerg and Skjodt both finished with eight digs, and Lambert added seven. Kieffer-Wright, Lambert, Crocker and Skjodt each posted two blocks.
Additionally, Michigan posted a .348 team attack average in the win, which marks its third-highest attacking percentage so far this season.
Tweet of the Match
What would we do without our @umichband to pump us up?! ?? pic.twitter.com/PMImkH8OnS
— Michigan Volleyball (@umichvball) September 16, 2017
The No. 21-ranked Wolverines will return to action on Saturday (Sept. 16) to face Milwaukee at 11 a.m. and Cincinnati at 7;30 p.m. in the Michigan Challenge. Admission is free to the first match, and fans can gain admission to the night match with a Michigan-Air Force football ticket.
Join the 2017 Michigan Volleyball team for its Big Ten Conference home opener on Friday, Sept. 29 against Ohio State inside Crisler Center! » Information
