Michigan State University
Iowa
Volleyball Improves With Five Game Win Over Hawkeyes
11/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 4, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State vs. Iowa Box Score
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The Michigan State University volleyball team would improve to 11-12 overall and 4-9 in Big Ten play with a thrilling five game win vs. Iowa tonight at Jenison Field House. The Hawkeyes fall to 14-12, 4-9 Big Ten with the loss. Spartan outside hitter Katie Johnson tallied 24 kills in the win, while sophomore Ashley Schatzle pounded 17 kills adding 14 digs for MSU. Defensively, Iowa managed to out-block MSU by a 13.0 to 11.0 advantage, however the Green and White tallied 87 digs compared to 71 by the Iowa backcourt.
State held the lead for the majority of the opening set, extending its lead to 10-7 after a Mickey Davis kill. The Spartans continued to hold momentum, as back-to-back kills by Schatzle and Wallin at the 18-13 mark extended the lead to five. The Iowa offense refused to fall however, as a kill by Kiley Fister neared the Spartan lead at 20-16. Three consecutive errors by the Spartans, three attack and one ball handling error, allowed the Hawkeyes back into the match taking their first lead of the contest at 25-24. Iowa extended its lead to 27-24 before Johnson halted the scoring run with a kill to the far corner of the court. MSU battled, however the lead held strong as Iowa captured the 30-28 game one victory. In the set, State hit .054 posting 15 hitting errors, while the Iowa offense averaged .214 committing just four errors at the net. Defensively, Iowa held the 5.0 to 1.0 total block advantage.
MSU took the second set of the match 30-26 behind a five kill performance from Johnson. Senior middle blocker Brooke Langston would serve the Spartans to four consecutive points to take the early 5-2 advantage. A Wallin kill would extend the lead to 6-2, however the Hawkeyes would rally behind the service of Jacqueline Huguelet to score three straight nearing the Spartan lead at 8-7. After back-and-forth play early, the Spartan lead would extend to 24-15 after a Johnson kill and Hawkeye hitting error, giving State the 30-26 game two win. Hitting considerably better with a .220 average, State posted just seven errors for the set, while the Hawkeye offense managed just 11 kills against seven errors at the net. Both teams tallied 3.0 total blocks, as sophomore outside hitter Jessica Hohl paced the Spartans with three block assists for the set.
After the intermission the Spartan momentum continued as Johnson would add 12 kills for the set posting a floor-best .444 hitting percentage. State proved the better team throughout game three as the Hawkeyes failed to hold a lead in the set. MSU hit .233 compared to .083 by Iowa, however defensively the Hawkeye front court tallied 4.0 total blocks against 1.0 by MSU. After State extended its lead to 19-14 to open game four, the Hawkeye offense would outscore MSU 6-3 to near the lead at 22-20. The Spartan advantage would hold behind consecutive kills by Langston and Schatzle before Iowa would tally two straight tying the set at 26-26. After an MSU timeout, two hitting errors and an Iowa kill would give the visitors the 30-27 game four win.
State would enter its ninth five game match of the season taking an early 6-3 advantage after a Langston kill. The Hawkeyes would add four straight to near the lead at 11-9, however Langston would add her third kill of the set to secure the 15-11 and 3-2 match victory.
"Our team battled throughout all five games for the win tonight," head coach Cathy George said. "The effort level was very high and we need to welcome Minnesota with that same intensity tomorrow night."
Johnson tallied a floor-high 24 kills in the match, while Schatzle, Langston and Megan Wallin would add 17, 11 and 15 kills respectively. Davis added 61 assists and two aces in the win, while Colaluca and Schatzle would post 27 and 14 digs defensively for the Spartans. Wallin lead the Spartan defense at the net with 7.0 total blocks - two block solo's and five block assists for the match. MSU struggled with 42 hitting errors for the match, while Iowa held the 13.0 to 11.0 total block advantage.
MSU returns to action Saturday night when it plays host to #17 Minnesota in Big Ten action. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Jenison Field House.
