Michigan State University
Michigan
Volleyball Falls In Conference Opener
9/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 22, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State vs. Michigan Box Score
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Despite four Spartans posting double-digit kill totals, the MSU volleyball squad dropped the opening contest of the 2005 Big Ten Conference season to cross-state rival Michigan in a thrilling five game match (30-23, 21-30, 30-23, 28-30, 15-13) at Jenison Field House on Wednesday night. MSU drops to 7-4, 0-1 Big Ten, while the Wolverines improve to 7-3 and 1-0 in Big Ten play. State was led by Katie Johnson, who tallied her ninth game of the year with at least 20 kills (22), while Brooke Langston added a season-best 16 kills, as Megan Wallin and Ashley Schatzle added 17 and 12 kills respectively.
The Spartans used the support of the roaring home crowd to capture the 30-23 first set victory. The teams battled point-for-point until the 8-8 mark when State rallied for three straight points behind the service of sophomore defensive specialist Tracy Bellwood and two consecutive kills by Johnson. The Wolverines evened the game at the 21-point mark behind a kill by Erin Cobler, forcing the Spartans to take their first timeout of the contest. Behind the service of libero Nicole Colaluca, MSU tallied six straight points to take the game one win. Setter Mickey Davis added 19 assists and four digs, while sophomore outside hitter Jessica Hohl tallied one block solo at the net.
Michigan dominated the second game of the contest out-blocking MSU at a 6.0 to 3.0 margin. MSU hit a match-low -.081 for the game, compared to just seven errors and a .162 hitting percentage by the Wolverines. Johnson and Wallin added three kills each in the set, while Colaluca posted five digs in the backcourt for MSU.
After the intermission, State hit the floor with fire, taking an 11-8 lead to open game three. Two consecutive kills by Langston gave MSU the 21-13 the Michigan offense would never match, as State took the 30-23 win and 2-1 match advantage. Hitting .175 for the game, State pounded 14 kills compared to 10 by U-of-M, while MSU held the slight advantage posting 3.0 total blocks against the 2.0 total blocks by the Wolverines. Hohl continued to post solid defensive numbers for MSU, adding two block assists and one kill in the set, while Colaluca managed eight digs.
The back and forth play continued as the visitors took the narrow 30-28 game four win. Hitting errors continue to plague the Spartan offense. A combined 40 errors through the first four games, State hit just .122 in the fourth set with two service errors in the loss. A Michigan win sent the match to the fifth game, the second straight contest between the two schools to feature the deciding fifth game. Although State rallied from an 11-7 deficit to near the U-of-M lead at 14-13, the Wolverine offense proved strong as they took the first contest of the 2005 Pontiac Challenge Cup competition with the 15-13 game five victory.
State managed to hit .164 for the contest compared to the .153 hitting average by the Wolverine offense. Each team struggled from the service stripe as MSU tallied 11 service errors compared to 10 by Michigan, while defensively the teams posted 13.0 and 14.0 total blocks respectively. Colaluca tallied the lone ace of the match for the Spartans against six aces by the Wolverines, while Hohl led MSU with 5.0 blocks (2BS/3BA) in the conference loss.
MSU travels to Bloomington, Ind. Friday continuing conference action against the Hoosiers. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. (CST.).
