Oct. 27, 2012
Box Score
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (University Gym)
Score: Michigan 3, Indiana 0 (25-15, 32-30, 25-17)
Records: U-M (17-9, 5-7 Big Ten), IU (10-14, 2-10 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 2 -- vs. Nebraska (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Junior Lexi Erwin (Spring, Texas/Woodlands College Park) had 17 kills and 10 digs and the University of Michigan volleyball team used a marathon set two win to propel it to a straight-set victory over Indiana Saturday night (Oct. 27) at the University Gym. Set scores were 25-15, 32-30 and 25-17.
Erwin collected her 12th double-double of the season and was one of three Wolverines to earn double digits in kills. Junior Molly Toon (Middleton, Wis./Middleton) had 15 kills and fifth-year senior Claire McElheny (Westfield, Ind./Brebeuf Prep) added 10 terminations. Sophomore Lexi Dannemiller (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) had 43 assists and almost made it a double-double with nine digs. Sophomore Jennifer Cross (Scarborough, Ontario/Birchmount Park Collegiate) had three blocks for the Maize and Blue.
Michigan hit .385 and held the Hoosiers to a .000 hitting percentage to take the first set 25-15. McElheny gave the Maize and Blue a 3-0 lead with a kill. Michigan went up 6-2 on a Hoosier attack error and built a 12-7 lead on freshman Krystalyn Goode's (River Hills, Wis./Nicolet) kill. Erwin's termination gave U-M a 16-10 lead and the Wolverines went up 19-11 on back-to-back Indiana attack errors. Cross had a solo block for a 20-11 Michigan lead and Toon's kill gave U-M a 23-14 lead. The Wolverines won the first set on an assisted block from Goode and McElheny. McElheny had four kills in that set, while Dannemiller added four digs.
Michigan won a thrilling second set 32-30 as it featured 14 ties and multiple set points for both teams. Indiana had the hot hand to start out the second set, taking a 5-2 lead on a Wolverine attack error. Erwin and Cross joined up for a block to cut the IU lead to 5-4, but a Hoosier block extended their lead to 8-4. The Wolverines fought back, tying the set at 10-all on a Toon kill and taking a 12-10 lead on an Erwin dig that ended up as a kill. Indiana tied the set at 13 on back-to-back blocks, but a Cross tip kill gave the Maize and Blue a 16-14 advantage. A Cross ace made it 21-19 Wolverines and Michigan had its first set point at 24-22 on McElheny's kill. It was the first of six set points the Wolverines had in that set. Indiana battled back and had set point at 25-24, but Erwin's kill thwarted an IU victory. Haverly had a kill for IU, but her attack error tied it at 26. Another Indiana attack error gave Michigan a set point, but the Wolverines had their own error, making it 27-all. Erwin set up a set point with a kill, but Haverly answered with a kill of her own. Amelia Anderson's kill gave IU set point, but a Toon kill and block from McElheny and Dannemiller made it 30-29 in Michigan's favor. Haverly's termination tied it at 30, but back-to-back kills from Toon gave Michigan the 2-0 lead.
Michigan used its momentum to dominate in the match's third set, hitting a blistering .615. Erwin gave Michigan a 7-3 lead on a kill. Toon made it 11-6 Maize and Blue with a kill of her own. Erwin's kill gave U-M a 13-7 lead and an Indiana attack error pushed the lead to 15-8. Toon gave Michigan a 20-11 lead on a kill and Goode's termination made it 22-15 in favor of U-M. Erwin gave Michigan match point off a kill and Cross sealed it with a kill for a straight-set win.
Michigan hit .355 on the night, while holding IU to a .153 hitting percentage. Michigan had six blocks on the night and held a 44-33 dig advantage.
Michigan returns to Cliff Keen Arena to start a four-match homestand this Friday (Nov. 2) against Nebraska. First serve between the Wolverines and Cornhuskers is scheduled for 7 p.m.
N O T E S
• Michigan now owns a 35-34-1 series advantage on Indiana.
• The 32-30 second set is the longest set the Wolverines have had since Michigan lost 32-30 to Pepperdine on Sept. 10, 2011.
• Molly Toon tied a career high with 15 kills in tonight's match. She also had 15 kills in the NCAA Tournament first round game against Baylor on Dec. 2, 2011.
• Michigan's .355 hitting percentage included a blistering .615 in the match's third set.
• Michigan snapped a three-game losing streak in tonight's game and has now won 12 of the last 13 matches against the Hoosiers.
Contact: Kent Reichert (734) 763-4423
