Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
UCLA
Volleyball Falls In Four to No. 3 UCLA
9/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 8, 2000
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The 16th-ranked Michigan State volleyball team fell to No. 3 UCLA, 15-13, 12-15, 11-15, 7-15, at the Notre Dame/adidas Invitational on Friday, Sept. 8 at the Convocation Center in South Bend.
Michigan State won game one 15-13 in a battle of attrition and errors. The teams combined for 16 service aces and 61 sideouts. Tied at 13-13 senior outside hitter Sarah Gustin scored the go-ahead kill and two sideouts later, freshman outside hitter Amy Sibbernsen tallied the winning kill.
In the second game UCLA came out fast and roared to a 9-3 lead. Then, leading 12-5, the Bruins stalled and State played its way back into the match, eventually tying the score at 12. An MSU service error gave the ball back to UCLA and the Bruins wrapped the game up with consecutive blocks and then, two sideouts later, fired a kill for game point, winning 15-12.
The third game was much like the first, filled with sideouts and service errors. The game was tied three times before UCLA took the lead for good at 9-8. The Spartans drew to within one point at 11-12 but a Bruin timeout stopped the rally and UCLA sided out and scored the next three points to win 15-11.
MSU took the early lead in game four off a kill and a service ace by Gustin. The Bruins rallied back to take a 4-2 lead and never trailed again, winning 15-7.
Sibbernsen led the Spartans with 17 kills. She also tallied 13 digs. Gustin added 16 kills and eight digs, while redshirt sophomore middle Angela Morley had 11 kills on .368 hitting to go with five blocks. Setter Christie Landry notched 45 assists and a match-high 15 kills.
The Spartans hit just .193 to UCLA's .255. The teams combined for 39 service errors (MSU 17, UCLA 22), while UCLA had the clear blocking advantage, 15-8.
Michigan State is now 3-1 on the season while UCLA raises its record to 4-2. The Spartans play No. 4 Nebraska on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT and No. 22 Notre Dame at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday.
