Michigan State University
Ohio State
State Falls In Five Game Bout With Buckeyes
11/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 26, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
MSU vs. #19 Ohio State Box Score
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The Michigan State volleyball team fell in a tough five game match to the #19 Ohio State Buckeyes tonight at Jenison Field House 3-2 (28-30, 22-30, 31-29, 30-26, 9-15). With the loss, the Spartans end the 2005 campaign with a 12-18 record, finishing with a 5-15 Big Ten mark, while the Buckeyes improve to 21-8, 14-6 Big Ten. In a night where the Green and White celebrated the final match for four graduating seniors, MSU managed to out-hit OSU by a .221 to .220 margin in the loss. Senior outside hitter Brooke Langston paced the Spartan offense with 18 kills hitting a stellar .382 for the match, while fellow senior Megan Wallin added 16 kills for the match.
MSU struggled through the first two games of the night, hitting just .171 during game one and .054 during game two. The teams would battle point-for-point throughout the majority of the opening set until the 24-24 mark when Ohio State's Nicole Britenriker added her third kill of the match giving the Buckeyes the 25-24 advantage. MSU would battle to again tie the contest at 27-27 after a Katie Johnson kill before a ball handling error by the Spartan offense would give OSU the 30-28 opening set victory.
Game two would see OSU take the 8-6 lead behind libero Anna Tengnas' service of five consecutive points early in the set. The Buckeyes would extend the lead to 24-15 behind an Ami Stevens kill en route to the 30-22 second set victory. MSU would enter a must-win game three to find themselves down 22-17 late in the match after a Spartan hitting error at the net forced head coach Cathy George to take her final timeout of the set. Not willing to end the season in a three game match, State battled as a Nicole Colaluca ace would end the set in extra points 31-29 for the Spartan win.
Momentum continued into game four for the home team, as a Langston kill would give MSU the opening point of the set. The teams would match points as an Ashley Schatzle kill tied the contest at 14-14. MSU would hold the 24-23 advantage until an attack error by State at the net would allow the Buckeyes to tie the contest at 24-24. MSU would hold strong behind the service of senior Marley Bellwood taking the 30-26 game four victory.
Entering its 10th five game match of the season, MSU found themselves down 3-1 before a kill from the hands of Schatzle would near the score at 3-2. MSU would take its first timeout of the set down 10-6 hoping to halt the Buckeye momentum. Although the Spartans fought strong on a night to celebrate its senior class, MSU fell 15-9 in game five and dropped the season finale 3-2.
"I was very proud of how our team battled for our seniors tonight. Down two games we came back very strong forcing the match into the fifth game for the 10th time this year," George said. "Overall our year was a success and we look forward to our off season training and upcoming spring season."
Leading the way for MSU was Langston with 18 kills matching her season-high. Fellow senior Mickey Davis tallied 57 assists and 10 digs for the match, while Colaluca added 25 digs in the loss.
