Michigan
15-12,6-11Big Ten
Purdue
19-8,10-7Big Ten
Michigan Falls in Four Sets at No. 19 Purdue
11/18/2022 9:54:00 PM | Volleyball
» Jess Mruzik led the Wolverines offensively with 15 kills, while May Pertofsky recorded 13.
» Hannah Grant led all players with 23 digs.
» Serena Nyambio collected a Michigan-high six blocks for a season-best.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team won the second set to tie its match with No. 19-ranked Purdue, but the Boilermakers eventually took the contest in four sets (25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 22-25) on Friday (Nov. 18) at Holloway Gymnasium.
Jess Mruzik led the Wolverines offensively with 15 kills, while May Pertofsky recorded 13. Hannah Grant collected 23 digs on the night to lead all players, and Serena Nyambio paced U-M at the net with six blocks.
The first set was a back-and-forth battle to start the night. Michigan (15-12, 6-11 Big Ten) went on a short run with kills from Mruzik, Pertofsky and Boney to go up 4-2. Purdue went on a run of its own, pulling ahead 6-5. In the middle of the set, the Boilermakers went on a 5-0 run to take back the lead at 16-14. Down by three, Michigan chipped away at the lead point by point until an ace from Amber Beals knotted the set at 20. With the score again tied, this time at 23, Purdue took the final two points with back-to-back kills to win 25-23.
Purdue got out fast in the second set, pulling ahead 9-2 in the first set before the Wolverines went on a 10-2 run helped by a block from Nyambio and Jacque Boney and a second coming from Jess Robinson and Mruzik to take a 14-12 lead. The Boilermakers went a run late but a 4-0 run from the Wolverines put them back in front 23-22 behind two Purdue errors and a Maddie Dowd ace. Purdue was able to tie it up at 23, but a kill by Pertofsky and a triple block from Robinson, Pertofsky and Haley Hallgren sealed the deal 25-23 and evened the match at one game apiece.
Pertofsky got the Wolverines going in the third set with a slam down the center of the court to go up 1-0. The Boilermakers went on a 4-0 run to regain the lead, pulled ahead 11-7 and eventually extending it to 20-13. Michigan pulled within four at 21-17, forcing a Purdue timeout. Coming out of the break, Purdue came storming back with two points of their own before Michigan called a timeout of its own at 23-17. When play resumed, Michigan scored three unanswered, led by Maddi Cuchran at the service line, but Purdue ultimately took the third set 25-21.
It took Michigan a couple of points to get going in the fourth set, but Grant stepped to the service line to grab an ace followed by two Mruzik kills, while Nyambio and Robinson recorded a block to give U-M a 12-6 lead. Purdue called its first timeout of the set and began to chip away at the Wolverines' lead, tying the game at 16 after a Michigan error. After a Boilermakers service error, Scottee Johnson stepped up to the service line to claim an ace and force another Purdue timeout at 18-16. The Wolverines held a 21-19 lead before Purdue captured six of the final seven points to take the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
Michigan will return to action on Saturday (Nov. 19) at 8 p.m. when it continues its road trip against Maryland in College Park, Md. The match will be streamed live on B1G+.
