Michigan State University
Wisconsin
Spartan Volleyball Drops 3-1 Decision To No. 10 Wisconsin
11/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 4, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State volleyball team suffered a 3-1 loss to No. 10 Wisconsin on Saturday, dropping its second consecutive Big Ten matchup. The Badgers won by scores of 30-20, 23-30, 30-21, and 30-22. With the loss, MSU falls to 15-9, 6-8 Big Ten, while Wisconsin improves to 19-5, 11-3 against conference opponents.
The UW offense posted 66 kills on a .362 attack percentage, slightly better than 64 kills and a .241 effort by the Spartans. Junior outside hitter Ashley Schatzle led the Green and White for the second straight match with 22 kills on 35 attempts (.400), while outside hitter Katie Johnson and middle blocker Vanessa King added 17 and 11, respectively. Setter Allison Ianni spread out 53 assists, adding three kills and seven digs in the loss.
The Spartan backcourt tallied 50 digs compared to just 36 by the Badgers, however Wisconsin won the defensive battle at the net, posting 14.0 total blocks against just 4.0 by MSU. Libero Nicole Colaluca anchored the Green and White with a match-high 17 digs, adding three assists and one ace, while Schatzle completed her third double-double of the season with 10 digs in the match. Ianni and King each contributed two block assists for MSU, while outside hitters Jessica Hohl and Heather McDaniel each registered one block in the loss.
Five Badgers managed double-digit kill totals, led by Brittany Dolgner with 16, while Taylor Reineke and Maria Carlini added 14 and 12, respectively. Setter Jackie Simpson posted 54 assists, four digs and three block assists, while Reineke contributed a match-high 6.0 total blocks for Wisconsin and the net.
Wisconsin took a 17-11 lead midway through the opening set, and scored seven of the next 10 to push its lead to 23-14. State put together a late 3-0 run, but the Badgers capitalized on consecutive Spartan errors to take game one, 30-20. Johnson led MSU with six kills in the set, while Colaluca contributed a game-high seven digs in the Spartan backcourt.
Ashley Schatzle was the story of game two, contributing better than half of the Spartan kills with 13 in the set. MSU took a 9-3 lead, and scored six of the next 10 to push its lead to 15-7 at the halfway point of game two. An Amy Bladow kill pulled the Badgers within six at 27-21, but a Schatzle ace and King kill evened the contest with a 30-23 Spartan win. Ianni tallied 16 assists, directing MSU to a .447 attack percentage, led by Schatzle's 13 kills on 15 attempts (.800). Johnson contributed six kills in the set, while Colaluca matched her first-game total with seven digs.
MSU held a 13-10 lead in game three, but UW rallied to score 12 of the next 15 for a 22-16 advantage. Spartan attack errors late in the set, and solid hitting by Dolgner and Reineke saw Wisconsin take a 2-1 match advantage, winning the set, 30-21. MSU struggled offensively, hitting just .194 compared to a .515 Badger attack percentage in game three.
Hohl placed a ball down the left sideline to pull the Spartans within two of the UW lead at 15-13. Wisconson put together a 5-1 late in the set to push its lead to 26-16, and Dolgner clinched the sweep with her fifth kill of the game for a 30-22 victory. Johnson and Hohl paced the Green and White with four and three kills, respectively, while Ianni added 11 assists in the set.
Michigan State continues Big Ten play on the road at Indiana on Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. ET. The match with the Hoosiers will be broadcast tape delayed on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. State concludes weekend play at No. 14 Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET.
