Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Indiana
Volleyball Wrecks Indiana
11/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 19, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women?s volleyball team survived two scares Friday night, Nov 19. Driving to their pre-game meal, Spartan starters Vicki Basil, Tammy Vonderheide and Sarah Gustin were involved in a two-car collision which totaled Basil?s Pontiac Sunfire. Amazingly all three were able to take the court in their starting roles as MSU defeated Indiana in four games, 12-15, 15-11, 15-8, 15-12.
Former Spartan Jenna Wrobel, an All-American for MSU in 1998, had a banner raised to the rafters of Jenison Field House to honor her accomplishments and contributions to the Spartans. Wrobel helped lead the Spartans to back-to-back Big Ten titles and the 1995 Final Four.
The crash appeared to initially take a toll on the team as the Spartans came out flat in game one and lost, 15-12, hitting just .094 to Indiana?s .220.
The MSU players wanted to make sure that only one wreck involved the Spartans Friday night, and avenged the game one loss by hitting no less than .260 to win the remaining three games and the match.
Michigan State came out strong in game two, steadily building to an 11-6 lead. After a timeout, Indiana fought back to come within two points at 11-9. MSU eventually won the game, 15-11, outhitting the Hoosiers .439-.127. Jessica Sanborn and Maren Witzel each tallied five kills for MSU.
Game three was a defensive battle, the longest game of the 2:10 match. At one point the teams traded 14 sideouts without a point scored. Both teams notched 21 digs but MSU had a decided advantage at the net, outhitting Indiana .260-.105 and blocking five balls to the Hoosiers? three. Sanborn and Gustin each hit seven kills while Sanborn added three blocks.
The Spartans built a steady lead in the fourth game. At 12-7 however, IU clawed its way back into the match, scoring five straight points to tie it up. Sanborn came up big again in the game, helping the Spartans close out the math by scoring the final sideout and the last two points on a block solo and two kills. She led all hitters with six kills and was joined by Gustin who had six of her own.
MSU spread the wealth in this match both on offense and defense. Five different players tallied 10 or more kills, including two with 20 and six Spartans had double-digit digs. Four Spartans had four or more blocks and three players had two service aces.
Sanborn came within one block of a triple-double, notching 20 kills, 17 digs and nine blocks. Gustin hit 22 kills to go with 11 digs and four blocks, while Hartley had 14 kills, 11 digs and six blocks. Also tallying double-doubles were Maren Witzel (11 kills-10 digs) and Vicki Basil (61 assists-14 digs). Angela Morley also had a solid match for MSU with 10 kills and six blocks to go with a career-high four digs. Sanborn?s digs were a career mark while Basil tallied two block solos, also a career high.
