Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Rutgers
Volleyball Opens Season With 3-0 Win Over Rutgers
9/1/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 20 Michigan State defeated Rutgers 15-11, 15-7, 15-11 in the nightcap of Friday's L&L/MSU Volleyball Classic in Jenison Field House. The Spartans displayed first-game jitters but settled down to a consistent performance in which MSU hit .317 to Rutgers' .163.
MSU's freshmen were big contributors led by Amy Sibbernsen (Omaha, Neb.), who started at outside hitter and tallied nine kills on .236 hitting and a team-high 10 digs. Jenny Rood (Ada, Mich.) injected energy into the Spartans midway through game three and contributed four kills on .375 hitting. Also seeing time was Stephanie Knopp (Cupertino, Calif.).
Junior outside hitter Erin Hartley (Midland, Mich.) was MSU's leading hitter with 13 kills. Redshirt sophomore Angela Morley (Holland, Mich.), who had a terrific L&L Classic as a freshman, continued her love of the Classic with 12 kills on .450 hitting. Senior middle Jessica Sanborn (Mead, Wash.) was the steady veteran with 10 kills on .533 hitting and nine digs.
Rutgers was led by Kera Carter with 12 kills. Setter Pualani Tuyay had 14 assists and a team-high seven digs.
In the L&L opener Eastern Washington survived Northeastern in five games, 11-15, 15-9, 15-8, 8-15, 15-11. Royn Sonju-Felder and Angie Hall each notched 12 kills for EWU, while Northeastern's Lindsay Wagner had the hot hand with 19 kills and 13 digs. Northeastern set the L&L Classic record with 15 team service aces, ten of which came from Erin Spangler and Kelly Cognac, who had five each.
The L&L Classic resumes on Saturday with Eastern Washington and Rutgers meeting at 10 a.m. and Michigan State and Northeastern clashing at noon. In the night session, Rutgers plays Northeastern at 5:30 and the Spartans face Eastern Washington at 7:30.
