Michigan
Penn State
Michigan to Take to Road Again for Matches at No. 15 Penn State, Maryland
11/3/2021 12:01:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan takes on No. 15 Penn State on Friday night (Nov. 5) and travels to Maryland to take on the Terrapins on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 7).
» The Wolverines and Terps are even in the Big Ten standings at 6-6.
» U-M swept Maryland in their last meeting, Oct. 15 at Cliff Keen Arena.
THIS WEEK
Friday, Nov. 5 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 7:30 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Stats | Live Video
Sunday, Nov. 7 -- at Maryland (College Park, Md.), 1 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Stats | Live Video
• Complete Game Notes (PDF) | Rosen Report
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team (13-8, 6-6 Big Ten) is on the road again, first at No. 15-ranked Penn State (15-7, 8-4 Big Ten) on Friday (Nov. 5) at 7:30 p.m. in State College, Pa., before taking on Maryland (18-6, 6-6 Big Ten) on Sunday (Nov. 7) at 1 p.m. in College Park, Md. Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+.
Wolverine Bites
• Michigan and Penn State have not played one another in more than two years, last meeting in Ann Arbor on Oct. 18, 2019 (a 3-1 PSU win), and due to scheduling and a COVID cancellation in 2020, the teams have not seen one another since.
• Only four players currently on the active roster were Wolverines the last time U-M played in State College. Seniors Paige Jones, Abbey Malinowski, Grace Persson and Lizzie Sadilek were in their first seasons in the maize and blue the last time Michigan traveled to Penn State (Nov. 14, 2018).
• Though undefeated against Maryland in the XFINITY Center Pavilion all-time (4-0), the Wolverines face a tall task Sunday afternoon. The Terrapins are 10-2 at home on the season, including a win over No. 2 Wisconsin.
• Freshman Jacque Boney continues to show improvement during her rookie campaign, coming off a weekend where she had 11 total kills, hit .409 and led the team with 11 total blocks (two solo blocks, nine block assists). The Brookhaven, Ga., native leads the Wolverines with 1.13 blocks per set which is good for 14th in the Big Ten.
• Sophomore Jess Mruzik has an active streak of nine consecutive matches with double-digit kills and has reached at least 10 in 13 of the last 14 matches. The Livonia, Mich., native ranks 10th in the Big Ten in kills per set (3.55) and is tied for ninth in points per set (4.11).
• Senior Paige Jones has upped her production over the last three weeks of Big Ten play, finishing with double-digit kills in five of the last six matches and currently four in a row. The New Bremen, Ohio, native has had 15-or-more kills in three of those instances, averaging 4.21 kills per set and hitting .249 in that six-match stretch. Jones now ranks ninth in the conference in kills per set at 3.58.
• One of the biggest improvements for the Wolverines from the 2021 spring season to the current fall campaign has come in their blocking. After being out-blocked an average of 3.12 to 1.46 per set this spring, Michigan has flipped the script and is outblocking opponents 2.39 to 1.91. The addition of Jacque Boney (1.13 blocks per set) has helped, but U-M has seen career-high blocks per set numbers from senior Paige Jones (0.40 per set), juniors May Pertofsky (0.97 per set) and Jess Robinson (1.01 per set), and sophomore Jess Mruzik (0.49 per set).
• Junior May Pertofsky is still the class of the Big Ten when it comes to performance at the service line, leading the nation's best conference with 0.51 aces per set. The Los Angeles native is top of the league in both aces per set and total aces (38) on the campaign.
• Several other Wolverines find themselves ranked in the Big Ten's top 10 in statistical categories, as redshirt sophomore Hannah Grant is ninth in digs per set (4.09), senior Paige Jones sits ninth in kills per set (3.58) and sophomore Scottee Johnson's 9.64 assists per set also are good for ninth. Sophomore Jess Mruzik is 10th in both kills per set (3.55) and points per set (4.11).
• Michigan ranks in the top half of the Big Ten in multiple team categories as well, sitting in second in service aces (1.59), third in opponent blocks (1.91), fifth in hitting percentage (.247), sixth in opponent kills (11.93) and seventh in digs (14.61) and kills (13.00).
• The Big Ten has seven programs represented in the top 30 of the NCAA RPI. Wisconsin (third) leads all conference teams, followed by Ohio State (ninth), Purdue (10th), Nebraska (16th), Minnesota (17th), Penn State (20th) and Illinois (27th). Michigan is ranked 31st.
Opponent Preview
Penn State
Michigan trails in the series 52-5
Though dropping to No. 15 in the AVCA Top 25 this week, Penn State is as formidable as always, having a 15-7 record on the season and 7-2 mark at home. The Nittany Lions are coming off a 1-1 weekend in which they picked up a road sweep of Michigan's other opponent this weekend, Maryland, before falling at home to Illinois.
Senior Jonni Parker leads the Nittany Lions in kills per set on the season with a 3.93 average and sits fourth in the conference with 357.5 points on the season. Offensively, senior Kaitlyn Hord has been a key factor in Penn State's success, hitting at a .423 clip and averaging 2.80 kills per set on the season. The middle blocker is also third in the Big Ten in blocks per set (1.39). Senior setter Gabby Blossom is averaging a robust 10.80 assists per set, good for third in the Big Ten, and libero Jenna Hampton is 10th in the Big Ten with 4.06 digs per set.
Penn State has split each of its last three weekends, topping No. 12 Minnesota in straight sets on the road while also taking down Rutgers (3-1) and Maryland (3-0). On the flip side, the Nittany Lions have lost at No. 6 Purdue (2-3), at No. 3 Wisconsin (2-3) and at home to Illinois (1-3).
Maryland
Michigan leads the all-time series 13-2
Michigan made quick work of Maryland when the two met earlier this season in Ann Arbor, as the Wolverines swept the Terrapins in Cliff Keen Arena. Overall, the Wolverines have dominated the series since the Terrapins joined the Big Ten, winning 13 of 15 matches all time.
Defensively, senior Rainelle Jones and sophomore Laila Ricks have paved the way for Maryland, each averaging 1.82 and 1.25 blocks, respectively. Jones leads the nation with her blocks per set mark, helping the Terps to the nation's best 3.19 blocks-per-set average. Freshman libero Milan Gomillion has also turned in an amazing defensive season, leading the Big Ten with 4.76 digs per set. Sophomore Sam Csire paces the offensive attack with 3.52 kills per set, while sophomore setter Sydney Dowler averages 10.12 assists per set.
Maryland has won four of its last five matches since falling in straight sets to Michigan and is even with U-M in the Big Ten standings at 6-6. The Terrapins will kick off the weekend with a match against No. 8 Purdue on Friday night (Nov. 5).
Up Next
Friday, Nov. 12 -- vs. Penn State (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 13 – vs. Rutgers (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
