Michigan State University
Northwestern
Volleyball Rally Not Enough To Hold Off Northwestern
10/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 24, 2007
EVANSTON, Ill. - Michigan State volleyball (13-10, 4-7) couldn't hold off the Northwestern Wildcats at the Welsh-Ryan Arena, falling in four games (33-31, 27-30, 30-27, 30-24)). Senior Katie Johnson led the Spartans with 25 kills and 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season, while Lauren O'Reilly and Ashley Schatzle also posted double-doubles.
O'Reilly led the Spartans with 45 assists and tacked on 11 digs; Schatzle put up 14 kills and tallied 13 digs. Miken Trogdon led the Spartans with 17 digs, tying her career high. Johnson also tied a season high with five aces.
The Spartans' 69 digs are the most in a match thus far in 2007.
Johnson paced the Spartans in game one, tallying seven kills and both of the team's service aces. Jessica Hohl led MSU, hitting .600, with three kills and no errors on five attempts. True to form, Trogdon anchored the backcourt with five digs, though Johnson and Heather McDaniel each contributed four as well. Northwestern claimed game one, 33-31, in large part because of the Wildcat's presence at the net defensively; Northwestern posted eight team blocks compared to MSU's two.
The Spartans rallied to begin game two, jumping out to a four-point lead, but the Wildcats quickly tied the score at 11-11. MSU then went on a four-point run, powered by Schatzle's serves, two blocks and a Jenilee Rathje kill. Johnson then picked up four of the next six Spartan points with kills and put MSU at a 21-14 advantage. Before Northwestern could build a comeback, the Spartans led 29-23 and sealed the game 30-27 with a Schatzle solo block. Through game two, Johnson was responsible for 20 of the Spartans earned points with 15 kills and five aces.
Northwestern took a 2-1 overall match lead with a 30-27 game-three victory. The `Cats hit .077 but capitalized on the Spartans' six service errors. Johnson led MSU's attack for the third-straight match with a five kills and moved into double digits in digs with 10.
The Wildcats came out strong, looking to clinch game four, and took a 13-9 lead, while Spartans battled back, needing to force a fifth game. And while Michigan State fought back, Northwestern continued to lead through the halfway mark. MSU inched closer to tying the game, coming within one but still behind 23-24. But the Wildcats took the next five points and claimed the match on a Johnson service error.
The Spartans return home, hosting the University of Michigan Saturday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. in Jenison Field House for the 13th annual Jam Jenison.
