Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Wisconsin
Michigan State Volleyball Falls in Four at No. 9 Wisconsin
9/22/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 22, 2001
MADISON, Wis. - The Michigan State volleyball team (7-1, 0-1) suffered its first loss of the season, falling at No. 9 Wisconsin (7-2, 1-0), 30-24, 30-21, 25-30, 30-20, Friday night in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Senior Erin Hartley (Midland, Mich.) and junior Kyla Smith (Comox, B.C.) led Michigan State with 13 kills each, and Hartley added four service aces. Sophomore Jenny Rood (Ada, Mich.) added nine kills and a team-high 10 digs, while sophomore Nikki Colson (Lincoln, Neb.) had 37 assists, eight digs and four total blocks.
"We played hard, but we didn't execute well," said head coach Chuck Erbe. "We weren't consistent enough to play at this level."
Six service errors proved costly in the opening game, which Wisconsin won 30-24. Wisconsin raced to a 7-3 lead, but back-to-back kills by Rood gave MSU a 12-10 advantage. After the Badgers regained the lead, Hartley served two straight aces to even the score at 22-22. But Wisconsin scored the next four points and held on for the game one victory.
Michigan State never led in game two, although the Spartans did force four early ties. The last tie came at 7-7, but Wisconsin scored six of the next seven points to open a 13-8 lead, and MSU never recovered. The Spartans did close within 20-17, but Wisconsin scored 10 of the next 11 points to close out the game. Michigan State had as many hitting errors, eight, as kills in game two.
Wisconsin continued its momentum, taking a 7-3 lead early in game three, but Michigan State rebounded to take a 9-8 advantage on a service ace by junior Emily Engle (Bay City, Mich.). After the Badgers scored the next three points, MSU went on an 8-2 run to open a 17-13 lead. After six ties and four lead changes, Wisconsin led 25-24, but MSU scored the final six points to win its first game of the night. Hartley and Smith had five kills each during the third game.
In game four, Wisconsin used an early 6-0 run to take a commanding 13-5 lead, and never looked back. The Spartans could get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
Wisconsin outhit MSU .176 to .136, and outblocked the Spartans, 12.5-10. The Badgers also had 59 digs to just 47 for Michigan State.
Erin Byrd and Sherisa Livingston led Wisconsin with 20 and 17 kills, respectively.
Michigan State will seek its first Big Ten victory when it visits Northwestern Saturday night.
