Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Iowa
Volleyball Beats Iowa
11/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 17, 2000
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Michigan State Spartan volleyball team won a huge match, 3-0, over Iowa on Friday, Nov. 17 in Iowa City. The Spartans, tied for fifth place in the Big Ten with the Hawkeyes, needed the win to go over .500 in conference play and earn the season split with Iowa. MSU goes to 16-10 overall, 9-8 in the Big Ten with the 15-10, 18-16, 15-3 win. Iowa falls to 12-13 overall, 8-9 in the conference.
Michigan State tallied 34 block assists, the most ever in a three-game match in school history and the third-most all-time. The team also had 18 total blocks, also a three-game record. The 171 attempts were third most in a three-game match in team history.
Kyla Smith, in her first start of the year, collected her first career double-double with 13 kills, 11 digs and three blocks, all career highs. Sarah Gustin led the way in her second match of the year at middle with 16 kills, a season-high nine blocks and seven digs. Jenny Rood had another solid match with 15 kills, 18 digs and a career-high six blocks. Erin Hartley also notched double figures with 11 kills and 10 digs to go with five blocks.
Michigan State took a 4-1 lead to start the first game but saw the lead evaporate as Iowa warmed up its hitting and serving. MSU then fell behind 7-9 before Chuck Erbe took a timeout to calm his troops. The Spartans returned to the court and sided out, then proceeded to tie the score at nine and push ahead to a lead that they never relinquished. Rood led MSU with five kills, while Smith added four kills and six digs. Gustin notched four blocks in the game as MSU hit .204 to Iowa's .104.
In a game two marathon, State hit .215 to Iowa's .165, winning 18-16. It was the most points MSU has scored in a game since Oct. 8, 1999, also against Iowa. MSU began the game with a 4-2 lead before Iowa tied it up at four. It was the first of seven ties in the game. At 8-8, the Hawkeyes scored four straight before a Spartan timeout squelched the run. MSU sided out and proceeded to score four straight on its side of the net to even the game at 12. The see-saw continued its motion as the score was tied at 13, 14, 15 and 16. MSU served for game point twice, at 14-13 and 15-14 but Iowa managed sideout kills to continue the game. Iowa then took a 15-16 lead and on game point was thwarted as Smith came through with one of her seven kills of the game for a sideout. Another Smith kill brought MSU to game point once more. The teams traded sideouts before State got the ball for the last time and Gustin ended the game with a kill down the sideline. Gustin had eight kills to lead MSU and added four more blocks in the game. Angela Morley also tallied four blocks in the game while Smith nailed seven kills.
The Spartans return to action on Saturday, Nov. 18 at No. 8 Minnesota at 8:30 p.m. ET.
