Michigan State University Athletics
Volleyball Hosts Minnesota/Iowa This Weekend
10/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 17, 2000
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RECORDS
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Please see the second PDF file for updated career/season record book.
Minnesota, Iowa at Home: The Spartans host Minnesota and Iowa this weekend with a12-5 overall record and a 5-3 slate in the Big Ten, tying them for fourth with Penn State. After hosting the first three matches of the year, MSU was on the road for 11 of its next 14 matches. Both matches this weekend will be carried live on television by AT&T Cable in the Lansing area, starting at 8 p.m.
No. 7 Minnesota is 18-1 overall, 7-1 in the Big Ten, tied for first place with Wisconsin and Ohio State. The Gophers lost their only match of the season to Wisconsin, 0-3, on Oct. 6. Last weekend UM defeated Iowa, 3-0 (15-8, 15-10, 15-6) and No. 11 Ohio State, 3-2 (7-15, 15-7, 4-15, 15-7, 15-9). Minnesota is led by Nicole Branagh and Stephanie Hagen at 5.05 and 4.12 kills per game, respectively. Setter Lindsey Borg puts up 13.70 assists per game while Branagh also leads the team in digs at 3.29 pg. Hagen is the Gophers' top blocker at 1.53 per contest, followed by Charnette Fair at 1.11 pg. Minnesota leads the series with Michigan State 26-13. Wisconsin si 12-5 in East Lansing. Michigan State has won seven of the last 10 meetings but lost both last year, 0-3.
Iowa is 8-8 overall and 4-4 (6th) in the Big Ten Conference. The Hawkeyes lost to No. 8 Minnesota, 3-0 (8-15, 10-15, 6-15) and No. 11 Ohio State, 0-3 (9-15, 14-16, 10-15) last weekend. Sara Meyermann leads the team at 3.68 kills per game. Setter Fabiana de Abreu averages 9.94 assists per game, while Renee Hill leads the team in digs at 3.16 pg. The Hawkeyes' leading blocker is Katie Panhorst at 1.29 per contest. Iowa leads the series with Michigan State 20-18. The Hawkeyes are 8-8 in East Lansing. MSU has won nine of the last 10 meetings, losing last season at home, 2-3.
Saturday Night Fever: MSU is 7-1 in Saturday matches in 2000.
A Split on the Road: The Spartans lost to No. 7 Wisconsin 9-15, 12-15, 15-13, 6-15 on Friday night but bounced back to defeat Northwestern 7-15, 15-10, 15-10, 15-8 on Saturday night.
Against Wisconsin, Sara Gustin had 20 kills, 10 digs and five blocks to lead the Spartans. Freshman Jenny Rood, starting in place of the injured Amy Sibbernsen, tallied career highs of 16 kills, 18 digs and two block solos. MSU's eight block solos were a season high and tied for fourth-best all-time in a four-game match.
Against Northwestern, Gustin again paced the team with 21 kills, nine digs and six blocks. Angela Morley had one of her finest performances of the season with 11 kills on .529 hitting, a career-high five digs and eight blocks. Maren Witzel, subbing for the injured Jessica Sanborn, contributed seven kills and five blocks in the win. As a team MSU recorded a season-high 18 blocks (5-26).
Red Hot: Jessica Sanborn's torrid hitting pace continues. To date she is hitting .420 on the season and has raised her career hitting percentage to .306. That's second-best in MSU history behind Val Sterk's .379. She hit .400 against Wisconsin with 15 kills before injuring herself in pre-game warmups against Northwestern.
Rood Hot: Freshman Jenny Rood, filling in for an injured Amy Sibbernsen, started both MSU matches last weekend at L2. Against Wisconsin, the outside hitter notched career bests of 16 kills, 18 digs and two block solos. She eclipsed her previous digs high (8) in the first game alone. Against Northwestern, Rood had 11 kills, four digs and two blocks.
2 Hot: Redshirt sophomore Angela Morley had her best weekend of the season against Wisconsin and Northwestern. The middle contributed a season-high 14 kills (.400), two assists, two service aces, four digs and four blocks (2-2) against Wisconsin and 11 kills (.529), a career-high five digs and eight (1-7) blocks against Northwestern. She is just 14 block assists from breaking into the Spartan top 10 list in that category.
3,000: Christie Landry became just the third setter in Spartan history to amass 3,000 assists in a career. The senior tallied 64 against Wisconsin and 62 against Northwestern to go over the mark (3,040). The school record is held by Judy Doles, who put up 4,151 from 1985-88. Second place is Courtney DeBolt with 3,773 (1992-95).
