Michigan Takes Down Maryland with Emphatic Fourth-Set Performance

Michigan Takes Down Maryland with Emphatic Fourth-Set Performance

» After dropping the first set to Maryland, Michigan rebounded to win the next three sets — including a 25-11 fourth-set win — to defeat the Terrapins.

» Jess Mruzik led all players in kills with 19 and recorded 11 digs for a double-double.

» Scottee Johnson picked up a double-double with 19 assists and 11 digs.

» Hannah Grant matched her season-best 24 digs.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan volleyball team spotted Maryland the first set, but rallied to take the next three — including a 25-11 rout in the fourth — to defeat the Terrapins 26-28, 25-22, 25-23, 25-11 on Saturday (Nov. 11) at Xfinity Center Pavilion.

Jess Mruzik led all players with 19 kills and recorded 11 digs for a double-double. Scottee Johnson picked up a double-double with 19 assists and 11 digs, and Hannah Grant matched her season high with 24 digs.

The first set was a battle from the start, led by Haley Hallgren and Jacque Boney with two kills each. The Terrapins went on a 6-0 run to take and 18-11 lead and forcing Michigan (16-12, 7-11 Big Ten) to take a timeout. Returning to the court, the Wolverines started to chip away at the Maryland lead, going on a 4-0 run to pull within three points. A block and kill from Mruzik and an ace from Grant pulled Michigan within one point late at 23-22 to force Maryland to take their final timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Murzik collected her fourth kill to tie it up at 23 apiece. Back-to-back kills from Jess Robinson down the line gave Michigan the lead back at 26-25. Maryland capitalized on a Wolverines overpass to take the first set 28-26.

Michigan got out to a quick start in set two, pulling ahead to a six-point lead behind two May Pertofsky kills and two Robinson blocks. Michigan saw its biggest lead at 15-8 before the Terrapins started to slowly get back in the set, eventually pulling even at 17. U-M went on a 3-0 run behind a kill from Boney and Mruzik and an ace from Grant before Maryland called a timeout. Michigan went on to collect two of the last three points, on kills from Mruzik, and another from Allison Jacobs gave the Wolverines the second set 25-22.

With the third set knotted at 5, Maryland went…