Michigan Downs Auburn & High Point to Claim War Eagle Invitational

  0 Derek Johnson | August 25th, 2018 | Big Ten, College - Women's Indoor, Division I Mid-Major, News, SEC

WAR EAGLE INVITATIONAL

Friday, August 24

AUBURN DEF. HIGH POINT 3-0

The host of the non-conference tournament started out on the right foot with a sweep of High Point to improve to 1-0 on the season while High Point dropped to 0-1.

The biggest boost for the Tigers and killer for High Point was high-pressured play at the end of sets. The first started 20-20 with the second at 20-19 Auburn. Then, the Tigers went on 5-1 and 5-0 runs respectively. High Point led 23-21 in the third as well, but couldn’t close things out before Auburn eventually won in extra points.

Auburn was led by Anna Stevenson (13 kills, .500, 5 blocks) and Gwyn Jones (9 kills, .364, 5 digs) along with the defense of Bella Rosenthall (17 digs). High Point didn’t see anyone reach double-digit kills, but Abby Broadstreet (8 kills, .250, 4 digs) and Molly Livingston (8 kills, .286, 3 blocks) were close.

It was an impressive start for the Tigers, who took down a High Point team that made the NCAA Tournament and won 24 matches in 2017. They out-hit the opposition .203 to .098 and had more kills (43-31), assists (39-29) and digs (53-5) while HPU totaled more blocks (7-6) and assists were tied (4-4).

Saturday, August 25

#19 MICHIGAN DEF. HIGH POINT 3-0

The Wolverines improved to 33-13 all-time in season openers  by sweeping High Point in a matchup of 2017 NCAA Tournament teams. The result ends High Point’s week at 0-2, while Michigan’s got started at 1-0 heading into their meeting with Auburn.

After struggling in closing out sets against Auburn, High Point had more of the same against Michigan. Things were tied 20-20 in the first and ended 25-23 Michigan. It was 22-21 HPU in the second, but two straight kills from Cori Crocker (4 kills, 7 blocks) sparked four in a row. Then, the Wolverines won five of the final seven after the third was also 20-20.

They’ll hope for as strong of a second match from Paige Jones as her first with the team as the freshman pin led the match with 14 kills and hit .290. Sydney Wetterstrom (11 kills, .381) and Carly Skjodt (9 kills, 6 digs, 3 blocks) also added scoring while Jenna Lerg (28 digs) carried the defense. For High Point, Katie Tylman (10 kills, .348) and Madison Smith (9 kills, .368) couldn’t be stopped, but the others had just 22 kills on a .125 mark.

In total, Michigan had more kills (44-41), blocks (10-8), assists (42-39) and digs (60-53). They also hit .252 compared to .200 from High Point.

High Point’s next action comes on August 30-31 for a tournament at Kennesaw State. Michigan’s next result can be seen below against Auburn.

#19 MICHIGAN DEF. AUBURN 3-0

Make it a 2-0 start for Michigan to the season, as they took down a 2017 NCAA Tournament team and an SEC foe in the same weekend. Auburn meanwhile splits things up at 1-1.

The Wolverines came out hot offensively and hit .317 behind the offense of Carly Skjodt (14 kills, .270, 7 digs), Sydney Wetterstrom (11 kills, .296, 3 blocks) and several others. There was balance all around, as six players had three plus kills with five at six or more. That was in large part due to setter MacKenzi Welsh (41 assists, 10 digs), who had her second double-double in a row.

Beyond three blocks from Wetterstrom and Cori Crocker (6 kills, 3 blocks), the Wolverines defense was led by  the second consecutive 20+ dig performance from Jenna Lerg. They helped to limit every Auburn player that wasn’t Brenna McIlroy (12 kills, .194, 8 digs) to five or less kills. Bella Rosenthall was also solid defensively but for the losing side in totaling 19 digs.

In total Michigan hit .264 compared to Auburn’s .128 mark. Auburn had more aces (3-1), but the Wolverines notched more kills (49-35), assists (48-33), digs (54-53) and blocks (5-3).

Michigan now heads back home for the Michigan Invitational next week against Cleveland State, Eastern Michigan and Harvard. Auburn on the other hand heads to the Butler Invitational to face Butler, Illinois State and Eastern Illinois.

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