Michigan
North Carolina
Michigan to Host North Carolina, Duke for Big Ten/ACC Challenge
9/5/2023 3:30:00 PM | Volleyball
Promotions
Duke
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team (1-4) hosts the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 8-9). The Wolverines welcome North Carolina (4-1) to Crisler Center on Friday (Sept. 8) at 7 p.m., then take on Duke (3-2) on Saturday (Sept. 9) at 7 p.m. inside Cliff Keen Arena. Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+.
Notes
• U-M fell to Colorado State and No. 21 Arkansas in the Wooo Pig Invitational last weekend. Against the Rams, the Wolverines battled to five sets but fell 15-13 in the deciding set. Michigan was swept by the Razorbacks in three sets, falling 25-23 in the third set. The Wolverines' win came at the Boston College Invitational against Sacred Heart on Aug. 26.
• So far this season, Michigan is leading the Big Ten in aces per set (2.18) and team attacks per set (36.94) while ranking 26th in aces per set and 30th in attacks per set in the NCAA. The Wolverines also rank second in the conference in digs per set at 16.24 and are 32nd nationally.
• Leading the way so far this season is middle blocker Jacque Boney, who leads the U-M offense in kills with 45 and hitting percentage (.343). She also leads the defensive effort with 16 blocks and is averaging 0.94 blocks per set. So far this season, Boney is averaging 3.29 points per set which is almost a full point higher than last season's average of 2.34.
• Setter Scottee Johnson recently passed 2,000 career assists to become just the ninth player in program history to reach the milestone. Over the past weekend, she tallied 78 assists including a season-high 53 against Colorado State. Johnson's 53 assists tied a career high which she set against Purdue on Feb. 14, 2021.
• Amalia Simmons led the team in kills in the five-set match against Colorado State. Simmons tallied a career-high 20 kills which also set a season-high for the team. So far this season, Simmons has seen action in four matches, starting two, and is averaging 2.67 kills per set.
• Freshman Lydia Johnson has started off her Michigan career strong with 24 kills, including nine against Colorado State. She ranks third in the conference and 16th nationally in aces per set with 0.71 and has 10 aces overall. Johnson also has 10 blocks on the season, tied for second on the team this season with Serena Nyambio.
• Nyambio had a career day against the Rams, tallying 13 kills, seven digs and two blocks for 14 points overall. She has played in every set so far this year for the Wolverines and is fourth on the team in kills with 31 on the season.
• Valentina Vaulet had an impressive third set against the Razorbacks with eight kills on 11 attacks with no errors for a 0.727 hitting percentage. She added three block assists and one dig in the set. Vaulet has 27 kills so far this season, putting her fourth on the team.
• North Carolina is 4-1 on the year and leads 5-3 in the all-time series with Michigan. The Wolverines and Tar Heels have split the previous two meetings, with the Wolverines falling in five sets in 2021 at home but U-M swept the Tar Heels last year on the road. Last time the programs met, Boney led the team with six blocks and Scottee Johnson led the team with 19 assists. Hannah Grant tallied three aces and 17 digs on the night.
• Against Duke, Michigan leads 5-2 in the all-time series and includes a 3-0 record at home. Duke stands at 3-2 on the season with a loss to No. 16 Purdue and a win over No. 18 Creighton. The Blue Devils defeated Michigan last year in four sets at Cameron Indoor. Jess Robinson, now a Blue Devil, led U-M in kills with 11 last time the two programs met.
