The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Erwin was Michigan's top offensive performer in each of its four NCAA Tournament victories, recording 90 combined kills, and she added 26 in the Maize and Blue's 3-2 semifinal loss to Texas. photo courtesy michigan athletic media relations sophomores? How could I be a better teammate and encourage them and mentor them? "I started doing that, and I found a way to tap into the energy and excitement they brought to our games. If I wasn't perfect, so what? I was cheering for teammates and paying attention to what they needed from me. That really helped me get out of my own head." The 6-1 outside hitter had 17 kills in Michigan's next match, then eight, and then she caught fire — Erwin recorded 10 or more terminations in U-M's final 19 contests, leading the Wolverines to a 13-6 record in those games. She was Michigan's top offensive performer in each of its four NCAA Tournament victories, recording 90 combined kills, and she added 26 in the Maize and Blue's 3-2 semifinal loss to Texas. "Lexi has really undergone a tremendous transformation. She's always been a very gifted volleyball player, but she's worked extremely hard to maximize her physical potential," head coach Mark Rosen said. "She's also worked to be mentally consistent. "In the past, she was always her own worst enemy, and I used to joke with her that if we coached her the same way she coached herself, she would have quit because we would have been way too tough on her. "She had to learn to deal with those internal expectations and learn to deal with teams that scout her and try to take her out of games." Day by day, Erwin felt less pres-