Michigan's senior volleyball class of five ended its career quietly, losing its final two matches.
The current seniors opened their initial Big Ten season four years ago with victories against Purdue and Northwestern, but lost the last two of their final season against eighth-ranked powerhouse Wisconsin and conference cellar-dweller Iowa.
"I think the seniors were disappointed to go out with a losing weekend," junior defensive specialist Maggie Cooper said. "They've given a lot to our team ... I think they were disappointed with this season."
Wisconsin put Michigan away quickly, 15-5, 15-7, 15-4, dropping the Wolverines to 4-16 in conference play - 10th in the Big Ten - and 12-18 overall.
The Badgers contained Michigan's offense, holding outside hitter Karen Chase to five kills for the match and the team to a .010 hitting percentage. Michigan outside hitter Joanna Fielder led the team with seven kills.
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| DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily Joanna Fielder and the Michigan volleyball team finished out a disappointing season by dropping a pair of matches to Iowa and Wisconsin on the road. |
Melka "ran the middle attack really well," Cooper said. "She took charge of our offense. She did a good job."
The loss to Iowa did have a silver lining.
All-time kill leader Karen Chase set her fourth Michigan record by spiking 33 kills, breaking former Wolverine Shannon Brownlee's school record of 30 in a match.
"She was on fire," Cooper said. "She hit around their block, and she would show angle and hit line. They could not block her."
The outside hitter also led the team in hitting percentage with a .429 and had three serving aces.
The Wolverines lost in five games of their 2 1/2-hour match, (10-15, 11-15, 15-10, 15-8, 9-15). For the second time this season, Michigan came back from a two-game deficit only to lose in the fifth and final game.
"We played really well in the third and fourth games," Cooper said. "Then in the fifth game we just started out a little slow and got behind in rally score. Chase hit really well and Linsey blocked really well."
But Chase wasn't the only Wolverine to thrive. Sophomore setter Alija Pittenger contributed a personal-best 80 assists - also a team record - and added a team-leading 20 digs.
Alija "did really well," Cooper said. "She played great defense, set a lot of balls, had some blocks. She did really well."
Linsey Ebert also led the team in blocks with seven of the 10 that Michigan threw back. Sophomores Sarah Behnke and
Joanna Fielder also had above-average matches for the Wolverines with 19 and 16 kills, respectively.
The Wolverines also set team season highs with 87 assists, 91 kills and 230 kill attempts.
Despite the losses, Chase closed out a record-setting career. In addition to the single match kill record, the senior holds Michigan records for all-time kills with 1,261, hitting percentage (.268) and single match hitting percentage (.808).
Linsey Ebert also ends her career with the school record for block assists, 305.
The Wolverines finished out their season 1-12 versus ranked opponents, with their only win coming against then-No. 22 Minnesota.
They also ended up 11-6 versus unranked opponents, with all the losses coming during the Big Ten season.
11-30-98
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