Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Illinois
Volleyball Felled By Illinois
11/3/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 3, 2000
East Lansing, Mich. - The 22nd-ranked Michigan State Spartan volleyball team lost 3-2 to the visiting Fighting Illini of Illinois on Friday, Nov. 3 in Jenison Field House. The loss dropped MSU to 13-9 on the season, 6-7 in the Big Ten. Illinois raised its standings to 12-12 overall, 3-10 in conference play.
Senior outside hitter Sarah Gustin, returning from a foot injury that had sidelined her for two weeks, led MSU with 24 kills on .333 hitting. Freshman outside hitter Jenny Rood set her career best with 21 kills on a career-high .378 hitting to go with 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the year. Junior outside hitter Erin Hartley had another solid match with 17 kills, seven assists, 15 digs and four blocks. Setter Christie Landry also was strong with 63 assists, seven digs, seven blocks, including a career-high three solo, and three kills.
As a team, the Spartans won nearly every statistical category, hitting .324 to the Illinis' .191 and winning the block 14-11, the kills 80-63 and assists 73-57. Heather Wilson and Betsy Spicer both tallied 18 kills to lead Illinois, while Shadia Haddad had 10 kills and 17 digs.
In a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde match, Illinois came out strong to start the match, taking a 5-0 lead in the first game, and cruising to a 15-6 win. Game two was a role reversal with the Spartans taking the 5-0 lead, increasing it to 11-1, and easing in to a 15-4 victory. The momentum swung back to Illinois in the third game as UI took an early 6-0 lead. MSU came back to make it close at 6-4 and then drew within one at 8-7 but couldn't gain control of the game and fell 15-12. The fourth game, however, was all Spartans, as State won 15-1. It was the 26th time in Spartan history that MSU had won a game 15-1 and the first time against Illinois. The Spartans hit .600 in the game that tied the match at two-all. Game five was again Illinois' with the early 3-0 lead. MSU dug deep and eventually tied the score at five. From there, Illinois took the 6-5 advantage and never relinquished the lead. MSU did keep it close, drawing to within one at 13-12 but couldn't get over the hump as Illinois won 15-12.
The match marked the fifth five-game match of the season for Michigan State. The Spartans won all three of their first fivers but have lost the last two. The last three matches between Illinois and Michigan State have gone to five games.
Michigan State returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 4 against Purdue at 7 p.m. ET in Jenison Field House.
