Michigan Takes Down Northwestern on Road in Four Sets

Michigan Takes Down Northwestern on Road in Four Sets

» Michigan took the first two set, dropped the third and rallied back from a 10-3 deficit to win the set 27-25 and the match.

» Jess Mruzik led Michigan with 18 kills.

» Three Wolverines each earned double-digit kills (Mruzik 18, Murray 14, Robinson 10)

EVANSTON, Ill. — The University of Michigan volleyball team rallied from a seven-point deficit in the final set to defeat Northwestern 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 22-25, 27-25) on Saturday night (Oct. 1) at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Jess Mruzik recorded 18 kills, while Kendall Murray chipped in 14 to lead the Wolverines offensively. Jess Robinson paced the Wolverines at the net, recording five blocks, and Hannah Grant held down the backcourt with 35 digs. Scottee Johnson led Michigan with 26 assists, with Maddie Dowd chipping in 18.

Michigan (12-2, 3-1 Big Ten) got off to a hot start in the first set, scoring four of the first five points, but Northwestern (12-4, 1-3 Big Ten) pulled within one early to make it 5-4. The Wolverines strung together a flurry of kills to push U-M to an 11-6 lead. Late in the set, the Wildcats cut Michigan’s lead to one, but a service error from Northwestern handed Michigan the first set 25-23. Murray led the Wolverines with five kills and May Pertofsky and Robinson each collected two blocks.

It was back and forth throughout the second set until Michigan went on a 9-0 scoring run with the help of five consecutive Wildcat errors. Michigan never looked back after taking its largest lead of the set 22-15 and went on to a 25-18, with another Wildcat error providing the set-clinching point.

The Wolverines started off the third set with a stuff block courtesy of Robinson and Murray. Northwestern answered back with an onslaught of points, pulling to a 10-6 lead before Michigan called its first timeout. A stuff block from Pertofsky and Robinson pulled the Wolverines with one point at 20-19. Then, a Pertofsky kill off the block tied it up at 20. It was a battle to the end until the Wildcats went on to take the third set 25-23.

Northwestern jumped out to a quick lead in the fourth set and led 10-3 before Robinson ended a 6-0 Wildcat scoring run with a 10-foot slam in the middle of the court. Michigan…