DEARBORN, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn volleyball held off a comeback from Concordia University to earn its first Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference win of the season Friday at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.
UM-Dearborn cruised to wins in the first two sets, but the Cardinals battled back to even the match after four. After a slow start in the fifth, the Wolverines took control and closed out the set with three straight points.
The set scores were 25-17, 25-20, 21-25, 24-26, 15-11. The win moves UM-Dearborn to 4-14 overall and 1-8 in the WHAC.
Up 12-11 in the fifth, the Wolverines took advantage of two straight attack errors from Concordia to set up match point. The game-winning kill came from Gina Giacomini on an assist from middle blocker Katherine Nealy.
Gina Giacomini led the Wolverines with 21 kills with a .388 hitting percentage, committing just two hitting errors on 49 attacks. Bronte Michura finished with 12 kills, while Erin Parrinello and Mackenzie Zook each added 11 kills.
Daniella Barile had a team-high 32 assists, her second-highest total of the season. Sabrina Giacomini had a strong match all around, recording 26 assists, 11 digs, and four service aces. Nealy continued her strong season on defense with four total blocks, including three solo. Libero Caitlyn Carlson finished with a season-high 29 digs.
UM-Dearborn was efficient on offense with 64 kills on 193 attacks for a total .202 hitting percentage.
The Wolverines have a week off before traveling to Lourdes University at 7 pm on October 5 in Sylvania, Ohio.
