Spartan Volleyball Falls In Conference Sweep

MSU vs. Purdue Box Score
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Oct. 7, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State volleyball team returned to Jenison Field House for the first time in nearly a month Friday, Oct. 7 where it played host to Big Ten foe Purdue. Although State rallied for a strong game three, the Boilermaker defense out-blocked MSU at a 15.0 to 6.0 mark en route to the three-game conference sweep (20-30, 27-30, 34-26). Spartan libero Nicole Colaluca broke a 16-year-old single-season record as she posted 28 digs in the loss, one dig better than Jill Krumm's record-setting 27 in 1989. Katie Johnson paced MSU with 17 kills, while Ashley Schatzle added 15 kills while hitting .400 for the match.

Although back-and-forth play was the story of the first game, the Boilermaker offense tallied 17 kills while hitting .395 to take the opening set of the night, 30-20. State was down early at the 7-10 mark when it managed to score three of the next four points behind the service of defensive specialist Miken Trogden to even the score at 10-10. Purdue would rally to take the 14-11 upper hand; forcing Spartan head coach Cathy George to take her first timeout of the contest. The Boiler offense caught fire, scoring 10-straight points to extend its lead to 21-12. The advantage would prove too strong as Purdue took the 1-0 match advantage.

After a Megan Wallin kill evened the second set at 4-4, the two schools battled point-for-point only to have the score tied after a Boilermaker block assist at 9-9. Behind a Wallin block solo and Mickey Davis kill, State would take the 13-9 upperhand when the Purdue bench took its first timeout of the contest, hoping to halt the MSU rally. Scoring 14 of the next 20 points gave the Boilermakers a 20-17 advantage. The Spartans offense never managed to pull even as the visitors took the 2-0 match advantage by winning the second set 30-27.

The third game of the night proved the most competitive as point-for-point play continued. Purdue scored five straight early behind the monstrous jump serve of Brittany Dildine; however, not willing to give in, the Spartan offense managed to rally, tying the contest at 18-18. After consecutive kills by Schatzle and Johnson, the Purdue lead stood at 21-20. A block solo by senior Brooke Langston evened the third set at 29-29 as the teams matched points until the 34-34 mark in extra play. The Boilermaker defense stood strong as it captured the 36-34 match victory.

Davis added 47 assists in the match, while Colaluca and Marley Bellwood added 28 and nine digs, respectively. Schatzle's .400 hitting percentage was a season best, while Langston's two block solos matched a season and career high.

The Spartans return to action Saturday night when they welcome Big Ten foe Illinois to Jenison Field House. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.