Spartan Volleyball Swept By Nittany Lions

Nov. 25, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. -

MSU vs. #2 Penn State Box Score
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The Spartan volleyball team lost to #2 ranked Penn State at Jenison Field House tonight (25-30, 21-30, 15-30). State falls to 12-17, 5-14 in Big Ten play, while the Nittany Lions continue to dominate the conference ranks, as they improve to 28-2, 19-0 Big Ten with the win. Ashley Schatzle led the Spartan hitters with 10 kills, while Katie Johnson and Brooke Langston added nine and seven respectively. Outside hitter Nicole Fawcett led the Penn State offense with 17 kills, hitting .394 for the contest.

Game one proved the most competitive of the match as the two teams battled point-for-point early in the set. Senior defensive specialist Marley Bellwood served the Spartans to three consecutive points to near the Nittany Lion lead at just 20-19 before a Sam Tortorello kill halted the Spartan scoring streak. Penn State extended its lead to 28-23 after an MSU serving error, and held to take game one 30-25. Setter Mickey Davis added 14 assists for the Spartans, while Brooke Langston added two block assists defensively for MSU.

The Nittany Lion offense managed to post five straight points early in game two extending the lead to 11-4. MSU continued to battle, as a Johnson kill neared the score at the 19-15 mark of game two. A service ace by freshman Melany Rarey kept the momentum on the State side of the net, before PSU would add four straight extending its lead to 25-18. A Fawcett kill proved the final point, as the Nittany Lions took the 2-0 match advantage behind a 30-21 second set victory.

MSU entered a must-win game three falling behind 5-0 before a Langston kill would give State its first point of the set. The Spartans neared the score at the 12-9 mark after back-to-back kills by Langston and Johnson. Behind the service of Tortorello, Penn State would score nine straight to take the 24-13 lead before a kill off the hands of Schatzle would halt the run. The advantage would prove too much for the Spartan offense to overcome as Penn State captured its 19th win of the Big Ten season behind a 30-15 game three win.

Davis finished the contest with 32 assists, while Nicole Colaluca added 12 digs for her 29th straight match with double-digit dig totals. MSU struggled offensively, hitting just .094 against the .336 of the Nittany Lions at the net. Defensively the visitors held the 11.0 to 3.0 block edge, as Melissa Walbridge added six block assists for PSU compared to six block assists combined by the Spartans.

MSU returns to action for the 2005 regular season finale Saturday night vs. Ohio State at Jenison Field House. Game time is set for 7 p.m.