State Volleyball Falls To Nationally-Ranked Buckeyes, 3-1

Oct. 14, 2005

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Spartan volleyball squad traveled to Columbus, Ohio, Friday, Oct. 14 for the opening contest of weekend play where the Ohio State Buckeyes took a 3-1 victory (30-26, 18-30, 18-30, 30-14). With the loss, MSU falls to 9-8 overall, 2-5 in Big Ten action, while the Buckeyes improve to 11-5, 4-3 in league play. Spartan setter Mickey Davis tallied 35 assists in the loss, while outside hitter Ashley Schatzle paced MSU with 12 kills and one block solo for the match. Defensively, Brooke Langston and Spartan captain Megan Wallin combined for 5.0 total blocks, while libero Nicole Colaluca tallied 13 digs in the loss.

Michigan State rallied in the final points of the opening set with two monster block assists by Wallin combined with the duo of Davis and Langston, to capture the 30-26 game win. The OSU offense tallied five-straight points to open the contest; however, 4.0 total blocks by the Spartan defense compared to a .154 hitting percentage by the Buckeyes gave State momentum to take the 1-0 match advantage. Schatzle hit a perfect 1.000 for the game with five kills, while Davis added 11 assists and two digs in the opening set. Wallin paced the Spartan defense with three block assists at the net, as sophomore Tracy Bellwood tallied a floor-high four digs.

The Ohio State offense regrouped in the second set of the night to take the 30-18 win, evening the match at one game each. The State offense managed to hit .480 during the opening set; however, a .205 hitting percentage during the game two and just 1.0 total blocks, compared to the 4.0 of the Buckeye defense, allowed the home team to even the match. Colaluca added six digs for the set, while Wallin and Schatzle added four and two kills, respectively.

Ohio State opened up a 10-5 advantage to open the third game of the night. The lead extended to 21-14 after a Buckeye kill, and MSU was unable to match the offensive power of OSU as it took the 2-1 match advantage with a 30-18 second set victory. State was plagued by two service errors and 10 hitting errors for the set, while OSU held the defensive edge with 2.0 total blocks compared to 1.0 by the MSU defense. MSU freshman Melany Rarey recorded her first service ace of her collegiate career in the set, while Davis added10 assists.

Michigan State found itself down 0-7 in the opening points of game four as the Buckeyes offense dominated the floor. A Jessica Hohl kill gave State its first point of the set at the 1-9 mark, before OSU would score seven of the next 10 points to increase its lead to 16-4. The Ohio State lead would prove too strong, taking the 30-14 set win and 3-1 conference victory. State hit .181 for the contest compared to the .364 of the Buckeyes.

The Spartans travel to face #4 ranked Penn State Saturday night continuing Big Ten action from State College. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.