Michigan 3, UMBC 0
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The UMBC
volleyball team had a set point in the third set but could not hold
off a late rally by No. 22-ranked Michigan, as the Wolverines swept
the Retrievers, 3-0 (25-9, 25-16, 26-24), Saturday morning on the
second day of the Adidas/Michigan Challenge at Cliff Keen
Arena.
"We showed improvement in every set today," said head
coach Ian Blanchard. "We represented ourselves and
UMBC very well and proved to everyone that we can compete with
anyone and anywhere if we play with energy and passion."
Freshman outside hitter Sherelle Walker (New Freedom,
Pa./Susquehannock) led UMBC (2-5) with a match-best 10 kills while
junior libero Ali Goc (Oshawa, Ontario/R.S. McLaughlin)
led the Retrievers with 16 digs.
For Michigan (6-0), freshman outside Kelly Murphy notched 10
kills and junior libero Ally Sabol had a team-best 14 digs.
The first set started out even with the two squads trading the
lead twice and tying at two. The hosts then claimed four
consecutive points to jump put to a 6-2 lead, one they would not
give up. After Michigan built a six-point lead, 9-3, UMBC
rallied to cut the lead to four twice, the second coming at
11-7. But with the score at 16-9, the Wolverines won the
final nine points to take the opening set, 25-9.
After an early tie in set two, Michigan won six straight points
to claim an 8-2 lead. The Retrievers responded though
and cut the lead to just two, 10-8, following an attack
error. The Black and Gold could not get any closer,
however, as the Wolverines build a set-high nine-point cushion,
22-13, and held off a late rally to take a 2-0 lead with a 25-16
set win.
Despite going down two sets to none, the Retrievers did not go
away and battled Michigan in a third set which featured seven
ties. After neither team could pull away in the early
going, UMBC took control of the set with a 6-1 lead to take the
lead 13-8. Michigan then inched back into the set and
leveled the frame at 18, but the Retrievers ran off the next three
points to take a 21-18 lead on a kill by Walker. Once
again Michigan rallied and knotted the set at 22 and 23, before
holding off a set point for the Retrievers and then taking the
final three points for the win.
"It's a disappointing result in the end considering the set
point," Blanchard said. "But I'm very proud of the
effort we gave because we played with enthusiasm, joy, and most
importantly intensity."
UMBC concludes play in the Adidas/Michigan Challenge this
evening when the squad takes on Central Michigan at 5 p.m.
Dawg Bites
- This
was the first volleyball contest between UMBC and Michigan.
- The
Retrievers are now 2-3 in matches that end in three sets in
2012.
- UMBC
is now 0-4 all-time against Big Ten opponents (0-1 vs. Michigan;
0-1 vs. Ohio State; 0-2 vs. Penn State).
- Sherelle
Walker has notched ten or more kills in four of the
Retrievers' seven contests this season.
