Sunday’s match was a chance to set the tone for the Michigan volleyball team. In one of the season’s earliest matches, the team had a opportunity to knock off its host on the road.
And the Wolverines (2-0) took this chance as they dismantled Cincinnati (1-1), winning the match 3-1. After losing the first set, Michigan started newer players which turned out to be the key to winning the next three and claiming victory.
The first set started off strong for the Wolverines, as they built a 16-9 lead. This momentum quickly faded, though, as the Bearcats scored five out of the next six points. From that point on, the teams traded blows, as graduate outside hitter Allison Jacobs gave Michigan two chances for set point. However, this momentum was stopped in its tracks as Cincinnati repeated its earlier success, scoring a string of points to win the set, 27-25.
After dropping the first set, the Wolverines knew that restructuring was the key to victory.
“We had to make some late adjustments … going into the second half with our lineup,” Michigan coach Erin Virtue said. “I was really impressed with how our team responded with those adjustments, and with some people stepping up that came off the bench into set two.”
For a second it seemed like the second set might spell the same fate for the Wolverines. The teams kept trading points up until 9-9. However Michigan quickly took off, flipping the script as it scored five out of the next six points. The momentum from newer players gave the Wolverines the energy they needed to take the set, 25-17.
All three winning sets had stellar performances from those newer players. Sophomore middle blocker Jenna Hanes and junior opposite hitter Lydia Johnson both played the best match of their collegiate career, with nine and 13 kills, respectively. Johnson, who started after the first set, was electric, scoring back-to-back points while also assisting her teammates. Hanes, the only true sophomore to get a kill in this match, was equally powerful.
“The team was able to put me in a lot of good positions,” Hanes said. “Our passing and setting was really good. Having such a balanced offense made me be able to be free with the blockers.”
The next set also ended with a 25-17 victory and — despite a late push from the Bearcats — Michigan won the fourth set by a slim 25-20 margin. This secured a 3-1 victory over Cincinnati for Michigan on Sunday.
Alongside breakout performances from younger players, returning team veterans also played their part flawlessly, chipping in key hits while allowing newer members to shine. The Wolverines’ depth was on display as five players scored over five kills compared with Cincinnati’s three.
“We’ve been talking about how important our depth is going to be, and this weekend that showed up in a big, big way,” Virtue said. “We don’t come away with two wins without exceptional performances and calling to our bench. So that’s a really cool thing within our team.”
After a slow start, Michigan was firing on all cylinders on Sunday. The Wolverines are poised to continue the growth that the team embarked on under Virtue. With a mix of depth and standouts, Michigan is ready to face up against the powerhouses in the Big Ten.
The Wolverines led in every statistic except for digs, as its dominance in the score book reflected its dominance in the final three sets. Starting the season off strong, Michigan’s star players proved their worth and new players established themselves.
The post Despite slow start, Michigan overpowers Cincinnati, 3-1 appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
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