Michigan Drops First Match of Season to Duke
9/9/2022 10:34:00 PM
// Bridgette Underwood
» Jess Robinson and Jess Mruzik led the Wolverines in kills with 11 apiece.
» May Pertofsky and Robinson led all players in hitting percentage, each hitting at a .471 clip.
» Michigan dropped its first match of the season to Duke, 3-1.
DURHAM, N.C. — The University of Michigan volleyball team dropped its first match of the season to Duke, 3-1, on Friday (Sept. 9) in Durham, N.C.
Jess Robinson and Jess Mruzik led the way for Michigan each recording 11 kills. Robinson hit a stellar .471 clip while also leading the Wolverines in blocks with seven. Hannah Grant led U-M in digs and Maddie Dowd led the team in assists.
It was back and forth throughout the first set until the Blue Devils pulled out to a five-point lead in the middle of the set. Robinson kept the Wolverines within striking distance behind her four kills, hitting 100 percent. U-M pulled within two late in the set, but Duke’s offense could not be stopped.
At the beginning of the second set, Mruzik and Grant pushed Michigan out to a five-point lead behind the efforts at the service line and a few Kendall Murray kills. Duke chipped away at Michigan’s lead, eventually tying it up at 24-24, forcing Michigan to take a timeout. U-M capitalized on a service error from Duke and then a Mruzik kill to take the second set. Murray led U-M with four kills in the set and also produced one block.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a six-point lead in the third set, holding steady until May Pertofsky and Robinson combined for Michigan’s next three points. Michigan pulled within two late in the set before the Blue Devils capitalized on a couple of Michigan errors to go up two sets to one.
In the final set, it was all tied up at 13-13 until Duke went on a 9-1 run. The Wolverines tried to make a late push behind the efforts of Mruzik and Robinson but fell, 19-25.
Pertofsky added nine kills, hitting a .471 clip and added five blocks on the night. Murray chipped in nine kills and three blocks.
U-M will be back in action on Saturday (Sept. 10) against UNC at 6 p.m. in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at University of Michigan Athletics…