Spartan Volleyball Downs Northwestern In Five

Oct. 22, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. -

MSU vs. Northwestern Box Score
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The Spartan volleyball squad concluded Homecoming weekend action tonight facing the Northwestern Wildcats in a thrilling five game match. State defeated NU to halt a five game losing streak and better its 2005 record to 10-10, 3-7 in Big Ten play. With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 12-8, 3-7 Big Ten. Leading the way for MSU in the victory was outside hitter Katie Johnson with 22 kills for the match, while Jessica Hohl, Megan Wallin and Ashley Schatzle added 16, 13 and 12 kills respectively.

The Spartans started the night with a 25-30 game one loss at the hands of the Wildcats. Twelve hitting errors at the net by MSU along with 4.0 blocks by the NU defense, gave the visitors the 1-0 match advantage. State rebounded with a dominating 30-21 game two win behind nine assists from setter Mickey Davis and a floor-best five kills from Hohl. The teams matched points early in the set before MSU jumped to a 16-11 advantage as senior Marley Bellwood served the Spartans to four straight points. The lead proved too strong for the NU offense, as State evened the contest at one game each.

Momentum swung back to the Wildcats in game three, as a 30-23 victory again gave them the 2-1 match upperhand. Hitting just .114 compared to the .300 of the NU offense, MSU was unable to match 5.0 total blocks at the net falling in the set. Knowing how important a Big Ten Conference victory was, MSU tallied 21 kills with just eight errors during game four en route to the 30-19 win. Johnson pounded seven kills for the set hitting .429, while Davis added 15 assists and four digs for MSU.

With a game four victory, MSU entered its eighth five game match of the season, as the Spartans forced NU into the deciding game of the night. A back and fourth battle early, MSU took the slight 8-6 advantage mid-way through the fifth behind an attack error by the NU offense. Two consecutive kills by the Spartan's gave MSU the momentum to take the fifth game 15-10 and capture the conference victory.

"Tonight was a great effort by our entire team. The poise and confidence in game five helped us close out the match with the victory," MSU head coach Cathy George said. "We need to take this momentum and carry it throughout the remainder of the conference season."

State returns to action next weekend when it travels to face Purdue and Illinois in Big Ten play. Weekend competition begins at 8 p.m. EST from West Lafayette, Ind.