Oct. 10, 2008
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - No. 23 Michigan pulled off a 3-1 win over the No. 18 Boilermaker volleyball team Friday night despite a valiant offensive effort by Purdue. The Wolverines won the match 22-25, 25-23, 29-27, 25-21.
Junior Carrie Gurnell led the Boilermaker offense with a season-high 14 kills, while seniors Danita Merlau and Stephanie Lynch added 13 and 11 respectively. Sophomore Kristen Arthurs tacked on nine. Alex Hunt led all hitters with 21 putaways to pace the Wolverines, which outhit Purdue .331 to .291.
Senior Kelli Miller pulled up a team-high 16 digs, while Merlau rounded out her double double with 13. Michigan chalked up 10 aces and 17 service errors, while allowing Purdue just three aces on the night.
"Michigan made an adjustment, bringing Hunt into the fray last week, which was a great move against a team which is not blocking as well, like we are right now," head coach Dave Shondell said. "I thought Michigan played harder and wanted it more than we did. Hunt was outstanding and their serving at crucial times really broke us down."
The Wolverines led by as many as three in the first half of the opening set, last at 12-9, but the Boilermakers clawed their way back into it, tying the score at 13-13 after a pair of putdowns by Gurnell. Michigan pushed the margin to four at 18-14, but Purdue was resilient, posting four straight points, including two kills by Merlau and one by Lynch. The Boilermakers took their first lead of the night at 20-19 and held UM at bay despite three ties in the waning moments. Purdue scored three straight, including a pair of Arthurs putaways, to cap the 25-22 win.
Michigan took the early lead again in the second set. Barring ties at five and eight, the Wolverines held the edge, although never by more than three points. The Boilermakers cut the margin to one five times, but could not break through. Trailing 22-19, Merlau and Gurnell chalked up kills to prompt a UM timeout, but a kill by Alex Hunt the following play brought a Purdue break. An ace gave Michigan its first shot at the set, but Gurnell tacked on another kill and a block to thwart two more efforts and make it 24-23. A Wolverine putdown by Beth Karpiak ended the set at 25-23. Purdue outblocked Michigan 4-0 in the set, but were outhit by the Wolverines .371 to .308.
The Boilermakers jumped out to a 7-4 advantage in the third set after a trio of UM service errors and an ace by Nichols. The Wolverines scored eight of the next 10 to turn the deficit into a 12-9 lead of their own. Purdue fought back, eventually tying the score at 20 on an overpass kill by Lynch. Michigan snapped the tie and went up 24-22, but Gurnell chalked up a trio of kills to give the Boilermakers a set point attempt at 25-24. UM saved the next serve and had to more shots at the set at 26-25 and 27-25, but Arthurs putaways thwarted both. A pair of hitting error finally gave Michigan the set at 29-27. The Wolverines hit .333 to Purdue's .220 in the stanza.
Purdue looked to have shaken off the close losses, going up 4-1 to start the fourth set. The Boilermakers built their advantage to five at 16-11 as Merlau racked up four kills and Gurnell tacked on two. Michigan countered the Purdue rally with five of the next six points. A pair of miscues put the Boilermakers up three at 19-16, but the Wolverines again answered with a 5-1 run to take a 21-20 lead. A net violation made it a one-point game at 22-21, but Michigan wrapped up the match with three straight kills to take the 25-21 win and the match.
The No. 18 Boilermakers (13-4, 2-3 Big Ten) return to action at 2 p.m. Sunday when they take on Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.
Friday night's match with Michigan will air tape-delayed on ESPN2 Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET.