Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
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Michigan State Volleyball Defeats Michigan, 3-2
11/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 5, 2003
ANN ARBOR, MICH. -
Four Spartans posted double-figure kills led by Kim Schram with 24 to propel Michigan State to a 3-2 (29-31, 30-17, 30-25, 28-30, 15-8) victory over in-state rival Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Wednesday night. The win marked MSU's first victory in Ann Arbor since Oct. 7, 1998. State is now 16-7 overall, 8-5 in the Big Ten, while Michigan moves to 16-8, 8-5 in league play.
"This was a huge match and it continues the momentum and confidence that we started to build against Indiana and Purdue," said head coach Chuck Erbe. "We were in command most of the way tonight. We just stayed calm and got it done."
Michigan State lost game one, 31-29. The Spartans trailed by as many as five at 16-11, but fought back to take just its second lead of the game at 29-28. They weren't able to hold on to the win, as State lost, 31-29. Neither team hit above .200, though MSU held Michigan to .068 hitting. MSU out-blocked the Wolverines, 6-2, but six service errors cost State the win. Schram, Megan Wallin and Brooke Langston each contributed four kills in the game, Langston on .667 hitting. Nikki Colson had 13 assists and two blocks. Schram and Marley Bellwood each had four digs for the Spartans in the game, while Michigan's Erin Moore posted six kills.
The Spartans picked up the win in game two, 30-17, on .533 hitting (19K-3E-30TA). Wallin paced State with five kills in the game, a.625 (5K-0E-8TA) attack percentage, with a service ace a block solo. Sara Villwock and Schram each had four kills; Villwock added two block solos, and Schram contributed two service aces and two digs. Langston held a perfect attack percentage, with three kills on three attacks. As a team, the Spartans again out-blocked Michigan, 3-1, and held UM to .161 hitting (12K-7E-31TA).
State led the third game by as many as seven (27-20) before it allowed UM back into the game at 28-24. An attack error from UM's Erin Moore gave State the 30-24 victory. The teams traded the lead early in the match, until MSU pulled to a four-point lead at 23-19. MSU again out-hit the Woverines, .364 (20K-4E-44TA) to .270 (16K-6E-37TA). Schram led the Spartans with seven kills in the game. Langston continued her strong hitting with four more kills on five attacks, and had a .786 attack percentage (11K-0E-14TA) through three games. Colson had 14 assists in the third game, with 44 on the night through three games.
Michigan controlled the majority of the fourth game, ast it led by six at 26-20. State fought back, and was down by one at 29-28, but could not pull out the win, despite out-hitting (.205-.184) and out-blocking (3-1) the Wolverines. Schram again led MSU with six kills, while Colson had 14 assists. Bellwood had 14 digs through the fourth game. Senior Jenny Rood had four kills on eight attacks in the fourth game, to go along with two digs and a block assist.
MSU pulled out to a 7-3 lead in the fifth game, and posted the 15-8 win. MSU led by as many as six at 12-6 and 14-8 before claiming the victory. State hit .667 (8K-0E-12TA) in the game to UM's .250. Schram had three kills in the game, while Colson added seven assists. On the night, the Spartans out-blocked Michigan, 16-5.
Colson, who began the night 68 assists from setting the Michigan State career record (4,151) had 65 in Wednesday's match, and remains three away from claiming first place. For the fourth match in MSU's last five, Schram had 20-plus kills. In addition to Schram, Wallin (17), Villwock (13) and Langston (11) also added double-figure kills.
The Spartans travel to No. 22 Wisconsin Saturday, Nov. 8 for an 8 p.m. EST match. The Badgers are 17-6 overall and 9-3 in the Big Ten.
