Wolverine Digest

Michigan Women's Volleyball are dominant to start the 2024 season

The Michigan Women's Volleyball team starts the season 10-1, and starts conference play this Friday in a Maize Out game against U-M rival, the Michigan State Spartans.

Maceo Gifford

Michigan State's Karolina Staniszewska, right, spikes the ball during the second set in the game against Michigan on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
Michigan State's Karolina Staniszewska, right, spikes the ball during the second set in the game against Michigan on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The U-M Women's Volleyball team started their fall campaign with a outstanding 10-1 record. They opened the season in the Crisler Center, hosting the Michigan Nike Classic, where they took down the Delaware Blue Hens in a five set thriller. After losing the first two sets, the Wolverines successfully completed a "reverse sweep" and won the next three sets. The match concluded with a 5th set to 15 points where U-M dominated, with a final set score of 15-4.

They followed this exciting opener with back-to-back wins against Kent State, winning both matches. The first of which was a clean sweep (3-0), and the second went to four sets with Michigan only dropping one set. The following week included a home sweep against Eastern Michigan on September 4th.

The team then travelled to Mississippi and defeated both Notre Dame (3-1), and Mississippi State (3-0) in their first two road contests during the Mississippi State StarkVegas Classic. Sophomore setter Morgan Burke racked up 29 assists and 11 digs in a double-double (double digit kills and digs) performance against the Bulldogs.

Returning to Ann Arbor with a 6-0 record, the team set their sights on the Michigan Invitational the following weekend. At home on September 13th, they swept Sacramento State (3-0), and beat both Akron (3-1) and Oakland (3-1) in 4 sets. During the game against Akron, Graduate Student and outside hitter Allison Jacobs recorded a career high 25 kills. Setter Morgan Burke also broke her career assist record, racking up 55 assists.

After 9-0 start, the team took a trip to North Carolina this past weekend and took their first loss of the season against University of North Carolina in a five set contest. The Wolverines then bounced back the next day by sweeping Duke (3-0) on the road. Both opposite hitter Valentina Vaulet (11 kills and 10 digs), and outside hitter Allison Jacobs (13 kills and 10 digs) recorded double-doubles.

Looking forward, the volleyball squad has a very tough Big 10 schedule. They play multiple ranked opponents including No. 2 Nebraska, No.4 Penn State, No.7 Wisconsin, No.10 Purdue, No.11 Oregon, No.16 Minnesota, and No.20 USC.

The Women's team will open conference play on Friday, September 27, when they take on in-state rival Michigan State in a "Maize Out" themed game.

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Maceo Gifford
MACEO GIFFORD