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The Michigan volleyball team entered Crisler Center Wednesday night with an undefeated start to the season and a specific goal in mind: fine-tune the offense. The Wolverines weren’t thinking about their past games. They weren’t too focused on their opponent either.
“We’re learning a lot about our own team,” Michigan coach Erin Virtue said. “ … Nothing against Eastern, but I was really focused on what we were doing tonight … just trying to fine-tune who Michigan volleyball is.”
The Wolverines (4-0) proved their identity early against a middling Eastern Michigan (2-2) team, clobbering the Eagles, 3-0, fueled by straight sets of dominant offense.
Early in the first set, Michigan got a chance to show its improvements. After a kill from EMU middle blocker Kendal Bonney, the score was knotted at 3-3. Last year, the Wolverines had a habit of getting tangled up in lengthy games against inferior opponents after a few lost points.
This year’s team recognized that, so it wasn’t caught off guard in its huddle when the Eagles leveled the score.
“I think this team is a much different team in terms of how hard we worked in the spring to build our culture,” graduate outside hitter Allison Jacobs said. “ … When we are in those really tough matches and are facing adversity, like we know who we are, we stay connected. We have really tight huddles, and that’s what’s gonna bring us through and not get bogged down by those tougher point-for-point matches.”
The difference from last year became clear immediately, when Michigan strung together a four-point streak to go up 7-3 and kept stuffing EMU at the net. Whether it was sophomore opposite hitter Valentina Vaulet slicing the Eagles’ defense with service aces or senior middle blocker Jacque Boney slamming down kill after kill, the offense kept the Wolverines cruising against EMU.
After a 25-14 first set in which the Eagles didn’t win more than two consecutive points at a time, Michigan remained in control, aided by Boney and the rest of the offense.
“We have seen really good glimpses of Jacque in the last three matches,” Virtue said. “But I think we saw what she can do tonight as a really steady attacker and blocker for us. … She’s someone that also put a ton of work (in) in the spring and and through the summer. … She came ready to play tonight.”
Boney, Virtue and the rest of the Wolverines — all determined to improve upon last season’s woes — didn’t take their foot of the gas after a smooth first set. Tallying a season-high hit percentage of .384 and committing just 10 errors, Michigan continued to overwhelm EMU, allowing just 13 points in a quick second set.
And when the Eagles stirred up some momentum with a four-point streak late in the third set to bring the score within four, the Wolverines relied on what they’ve been working on in practice since the spring: honing in on their offense, and focusing on what they can control.
Minor errors, like Vaulet’s flubbed block up 24-20, weren’t going to derail Michigan like they did last year. Vaulet found redemption one point later with a match-sealing kill to the back-right corner, capping off the sweep and keeping the Wolverines undefeated on the season.
While there isn’t much that can be gleaned from a rout against a mediocre non-conference opponent, Michigan made one thing clear — this team, and this offense, isn’t what it was last year.
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