Spartans Sweep Toledo In Non-Conference Action

Sept. 16, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - In front of an energetic crowd at Jenison Field House on Saturday night, the Michigan State volleyball team improved its record to 9-1 for the season in a 3-0 sweep over Toledo (3-10). The Spartans won by scores of 30-25, 30-23 and 30-23. State's 9-1 record marks the best start since the 1995 season when the Green and White won its first-ever Big Ten championship and advanced to the NCAA National Semifinals.

Michigan State out-hit the Rockets .252-.104, and a trio of Spartans posted double-digit kill totals. Led by outside hitter Ashley Schatzle with a season-high 19 kills, outside hitter Katie Johnson and middle blocker Jessica Hohl each added 14 for the Green and White. Setter Allison Ianni spread out 47 assists for the match, adding four digs, two block solos and four block assists. MSU tallied five aces on the night, led by Schatzle with two, while Ianni, defensive specialist Miken Trogdon, and libero Nicole Colaluca each added one.

"Toledo challenged us at times tonight, and I was very pleased with how our team reacted to the pressure," Spartan head coach Cathy George said. "This match was our last of non-conference play before we begin the Big Ten portion of our season against Purdue next Friday. This week we need to focus on getting ourselves healthy and having quality practice sessions."

Defensively, MSU won the battle at the net, posting 9.0 total blocks compared to just 1.0 by UT, while State tallied 42 digs against 35 by the Rocket backcourt. Colaluca posted a match-best 18 digs, while Schatzle and defensive specialist Melany Rarey added nine and six, respectively. Ianni's 6.0 total blocks was a match-high, while Hohl added four block assists, and freshman middle Mischelle Nelson added one block solo and one block assist in the win.

"We had a great stretch of practices last week, and I personally worked hard on improving my technique and approach to the ball," Schatzle said. "This week we plan on working to get Allison (Ianni) more involved in our system and become less predictable as a team."

MSU led 17-9 midway through the first set before Toledo scored six of the next seven points to pull within four at 19-15. Johnson placed a kill down the left side to halt the streak, and Ianni served the Spartans to four consecutive points to push the lead to 23-16. Toledo rallied to score five of the next seven points, but the Spartans finished the set on a 6-4 run to win the game, 30-25. Hohl was perfect in the opening set, posting three kills on three attempts, while Schatzle added a game-best eight kills on 19 swings.

The Spartans held a narrrow 17-14 lead in game two before Toledo scored three straight points to knot the score at 17-17. After a Michigan State timeout, the teams matched points five times before the Spartans posted an 8-1 run behind two kills from both Hohl and Johnson to win game two, 30-23, and take a 2-0 lead heading into the break. Colaluca and Schatzle combined for 10 digs in the Green and White backcourt, while Ianni and Hohl each added four block assists at the net, as MSU posted 5.0 total blocks for the set.

The teams matched points early in game three before State went on a 7-1 run to push its lead to 16-10. Toledo continued to battle, and pulled within two at 23-21 after back-to-back ball handling errors by the Spartan attack. State held strong, as Hohl and Schatzle connected on consecutive swings, and Trogdon served the Spartans to four straight to spark a 7-1 run and clinch its eighth sweep of the season with a 30-23 game-three victory. Schatzle dominated the set, posting 10 kills on 17 attempts for a .529 attack percentage, while Ianni added 18 assists and one block solo.

The Spartans open Big Ten Conference play when Purdue visits Jenison Field House on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m., and Indiana follows on Sept. 23 in a 5 p.m. matchup.