Oct. 1, 2004
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - In a match that featured 15 lead changes and 47 tie scores, the Michigan Wolverines outlasted the Purdue volleyball team to garner a 3-1 win Friday night. Two games went to overtime as UM won 30-23, 32-34, 31-29 and 30-26. Redshirt junior Leah Wischmeier (Brownstown, Ind.) set a new career high with 26 kills in the match to lead all hitters.
The Wolverines took a 2-0 lead to begin Game , but Purdue caught up tying the score at 3-3 on a UM hitting error. A kill by freshman Sammi Mader (Algonquin, Ill.) made it 4-4, but that sparked a 4-1 Michigan run. Down 8-5, Purdue responded with three-straight points on a kill by senior Kim McConaha (Centerville, Ind.), an ace by senior Daren Poe (Martinsville, Ind.) and a solo block by junior Renata Dargan (New Lenox, Ill.). Kills by redshirt junior Leah Wischmeier (Brownstown, Ind.) and freshman Lizzie Jacques (Winfield, Ill.) gave Purdue its first lead of the night at 11-10. The Wolverines then went on a 10-2 run to go up 20-13 on an Erin Cobler ace. The Boilermakers pulled within five on three occasions including 25-20, but UM set up its first game-point attempt at 29-21. A kill by senior Kim Cappa (West Lafayette, Ind.) and an ace by freshman Anne Mastandrea (Downers Grove, Ill.) staved off two attempts, before a kill by Katie Bruzdzinski sealed the win at 30-23.
The Boilermakers went up 2-0 to begin Game 2 on a Cappa kill and a UM miscue. The Wolverines tied it up at 2, 3 and 4 before taking a 6-4 lead of their own. Purdue tied it up at 8 on a block by McConaha and Dargan, but couldn't break through to take the lead. Down 14-13 moments later, the Boilermakers earned three-straight points on a kill, an error and an ace by Brittany Dildine (West Lafayette, Ind.). Purdue maintained the advantage throughout the next several points, setting their first chance at the game at 29-28 on a Jacques kill. Michigan thwarted the effort and another at 30-29, before taking their own shot at the win at 31-30. A pair of kills by Cappa brought the game's fourth game-point attempt, which was again for naught. Dargan then won a joust at the net, before combining with McConaha on the game-winning block at 34-32.
The back-and-forth battle continued in Game 3 as the teams tied nine times in the opening 18 points. Michigan then went up by two at 15-13, but Purdue responded with a 4-0 rally including an ace by Mastandrea. The Boilermakers raised their advantage to three at 19-16 on a back-court kill by Dildine. The Wolverines would not back down knotting it up at 20, setting off a string of seven ties. UM broke a 26-26 tie with a pair of points but Wischmeier answered with back-to-back kills to make it 28-28. The teams tied again at 29 on another Wischmeier putdown, but back-to-back kills by Lyndsay Miller claimed the game at 31-29 for Michigan.
Purdue jumped out to a 4-1 advantage to begin Game 4, but the Wolverines closed in and pulled within one at 6-5. Purdue answered with five of the next six points, including kills by Cappa and sophomore Melanie Ukovich (Minooka, Ill.), to take their largest lead of the night at 11-6. UM took a timeout to talk things over and soon tied things up at 12. A trio of kills, two by Wischmeier, put the Boilermakers on top at 15-12, but Michigan responded with four-points of its own to take the lead at 16-15. Purdue tied it up at 16 and 17, but couldn't manage to regain the advantage. The Boilermakers were within one on six occasions after that, including at 24-23, but UM upped the lead to four at 29-25. A McConaha kill kept Purdue alive, but a kill by Jennifer Gandolph gave Michigan the match at 30-26.
Wischmeier posted a career-high 26 kills, besting her previous high of 24, while McConaha and Cappa also reached double-digits with 17 and 15 respectively. McConaha hit .400, while completing her double-double with 13 digs and five blocks. Poe led Purdue's defensive effort with 20 digs.
The Boilermakers (9-4, 2-1 Big Ten) return to action at 7 p.m. on Saturday when they take on Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.