Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Purdue
Volleyball Survives Purdue In Five
11/6/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 6, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Three Michigan State players tallied double-doubles and Sarah Gustin hit a match-high 26 kills as the Spartans outlasted Purdue, 3-2 (2-15, 15-13, 12-15, 15-13, 15-8) for their 18th win of the season on Nov. 6 in Jenison Field House. Chuck Erbe earned his 150th win at Michigan State and is now 150-140 in his seventh season as head coach at State. Michigan State won its first five-game match of the season (1-3) and Purdue lost its first (6-1).
Vicki Basil controlled the offense well, tallying a career-high 78 assists to go with 13 digs and a season-high five blocks. Erin Hartley and Jessica Sanborn also hit more than 20 kills for MSU, notching 23 and 21, respectively. Sanborn?s kill total was a career-high. Angela Morley continued her fine net defense, recording eight blocks for the match. This marks the fifth time in the last six matches she has notched at least eight blocks. Gustin also tallied nine digs, one of those the 500th of her career.
?It was a grind-it-out match, it was an incredible match,? said Erbe. ?We were terrible in warmups and came out flat in game one. We were primed to get beat tonight but the team wouldn?t let it happen. The players have resolve and resiliency and are able to play through the down periods.?
The Spartans had a hard time adjusting to Purdue?s smaller, quicker lineup in game one after Friday?s match against the taller Wisconsin Badgers. The result was a 15-2 loss in which the Boilermakers outhit MSU .571 to .147.
Michigan State came out swinging in game two, taking a quick 7-0 lead. Purdue slowly fought its way back into the game as MSU grudgingly gave the Boilers a 12-10 lead. However, State put together a 5-1 run, led by a pair of kills and a pair of blocks by Gustin.
Game three began with a 3-1 Purdue lead before MSU fought back for a three-all tie. The Boilers then took control of the game, streaking to an 11-4 lead. A timely timeout by Erbe allowed the Spartans to regroup and they then stormed back to tie the game at 12. Two key serves by Purdue?s Maegan Petersen resulted in a 14-12 lead and the Boilers finally won the game, 15-12, on their fifth game-point serve.
The fourth game was a virtual draw as each team matched the other in hitting, blocks, assists and digs. However, MSU?s good stats managed to occur at crucial times and the Spartans eked out a 15-13 win to tie the match at 2-2.
The teams were evenly matched in the early goings of the fifth and final game as the score was tied at three, four and five. After the 5-5 tie, MSU inked two of the next three points to take an 8-6 lead in the rally-scored game. Up 12-8, Maren Witzel served three lasers, one for an ace, to close out the game and match, 15-8. Sanborn hit five kills and had three of her six blocks in the game to help MSU.
The Spartans are now 18-8 overall, 8-6 in the Big Ten. MSU has won seven of its last eight matches. Michigan State returns to action on Nov. 12 and 13 at Ohio State and No. 1 Penn State.
