Wolverines to Head on the Road to Face Ohio State, Illinois

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team (12-6, 2-5 Big Ten) will be on the road this weekend for a pair of matches. On Friday (Oct. 24) at 6 p.m., the Wolverines will be in Columbus for a rivalry contest against Ohio State (3-13, 0-8 Big Ten) at Covelli Center before traveling to Champaign and Huff Hall for a 7 p.m. CT match at Illinois (12-5, 7-1 Big Ten) on Saturday (Oct. 25). Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+.

Notes

• Michigan is coming off a sweep at the hands of No. 1-ranked Nebraska at a sold-out Crisler Center on Sunday (Oct. 19) and a five-set setback at Northwestern. Michigan is 2-6 in conference play with wins over Iowa and No. 20 Minnesota after starting 10-1 in non-conference play.

• Michigan ranks in the top five in the Big Ten in five team categories. The Wolverines rank fourth in assists per set (12.66) and kills per set (13.76) while ranking fifth in total assists (848), attack per set (33.00) and total kills (922). U-M's kill-per-set mark ranks 27th nationally, while ranking 23rd in hitting percentage (.272).

• In her senior season, Serena Nyambio is having a career year, accomplishing a feat not seen since 2015. Against Northwestern, Nyambio recorded a kill-block double-double with 14 kills and 11 blocks to become the first Wolverine to do it since Abby Cole collected 14 kills and 10 blocks against Indiana on Sept. 26, 2015. Nyambio is fourth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.410), fifth in total blocks (86) and 10th in blocks per set (1.27).

• Morgan Burke has a team-leading 487 assists this season and is one away from matching her freshman-year total. Burke has started every match dating back to last season, but her role has changed as U-M switches to a 6-2 for some matches this season, including its most recent contest against Nebraska. Burke has added 155 digs and 16 aces this season, ranking second and third on the team, respectively.

• Sixth-year graduate student Allison Jacobs ranks in the top five of the conference in six statistical categories, including third in kills with 271. She also ranks third in total attacks (714), fourth in attacks per set (10.82), kills per set (4.11), points per set (4.74) and fifth in points (313). Jacobs has totaled seven kills or more in all but one match, with double-digit kills in 15 of 19 this season.

• Ella Demetrician has improved as a sophomore and started as the team's second outside hitter in 12 of the 19 matches this season. Demetrician has 138 kills this season on 345 swings, adding 89 digs and 19 blocks. She has double-digit kills in seven matches this season, including three in Big Ten play. Demetrician led U-M in kills and tied for the match lead against No. 1 Nebraska with nine.

• Sophomore middle blocker Jenna Hanes saw just five sets of action as a freshman. This season, Hanes has played in every match and all but four sets. She has 101 kills this season on a .427 hitting percentage and has added 56 blocks, including a team-leading 13 solo blocks. Hanes has gone errorless six times, including the previous three, and does not have more than two in any match this season.

• Ohio State sits at 3-13 this season with an 0-8 conference record. The Buckeyes' three wins came against Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Troy. In Big Ten action, Ohio State took UCLA to five sets to open conference play and pushed Illinois and Indiana to four sets over the weekend. Michigan holds a 29-60 record in the all-time series against the Buckeyes, with the teams splitting the two matches last season.

• Illinois is currently receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll with 12-5 overall and 7-1 Big Ten records. The Fighting Illini are second in the conference with a win over Purdue, and their only loss coming at Wisconsin. Michigan is 29-54 in the all-time series against Illinois, with the Wolverines having lost the last three matches.