Michigan State University
Illinois
Spartan Volleyball Fall at Illinois, 3-1
11/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 3, 2007
Champaign, Ill. - The Michigan State University volleyball team dropped a tight road contest at Illinois tonight, 3-1 (28-30, 30-23, 28-30, 25-30), at Huff Hall. The Spartans fall to 15-11 overall and 6-8 in the league, while the Fighting Illini improve to 15-9 and 7-7.
Senior Ashley Schatzle (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) compiled her fourth straight double-double (12th of the season) with a team-high 24 kills and 14 digs. Classmate Katie Johnson (Brooklyn, Mich./Columbia Central) also had a double-double, her fifth of the 2007 campaign, posting 18 kills and tying a season-high with 13 digs. Sophomore Vanessa King (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) had a solid afternoon with 13 kills (.435 hitting percentage) and five block assists.
Senior Miken Trogdon (Lisle, Ill./Wheaton St. Francis) broke her career-high for the second-straight night with 21 digs, while freshman Lauren O'Reilly (Langley, British Columbia/Pacific Academy) dished out 57 assists, while adding five block assists, tying a season-high.
Illini freshman Laura DeBruler lead all players with 31 kills, also posting an impressive .397 hitting percentage.
The Fighting Illini took the opening game, 30-28. After Illinois took the first two points, the Spartans put together a 8-1 run, behind two kills each from Johnson and King to open up a 8-3 lead. The two schools matched blows until the Illini went on a 8-2 run to take a 23-22 lead, their first since the opening points. Four late kills by Johnson down the stretch kept the score tied at 28, but Illinois took the final two points for the game one win. Johnson led all attackers in game one with eight kills, while Schatzle and Illinois' Laura DeBruler each tallied six. O'Reilly dished out 19 assists for the Spartans in the first game.
MSU evened the match by taking game two, 30-23. The Spartans used some strong play upfront, posting 20 kills and a .457 hitting percentage, while holding Illinois to a .162 percentage. Early on, there were eight ties leading to a 11-11 score, but Michigan State went on a 7-2 run, including two kills from each Johnson and freshman Jenilee Rathje (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant), to open a lead they would not let up. Illinois closed within three at 24-21, but two key kills by senior Jessica Hohl (Waterville, Ohio/Anthony Wayne) kept the momentum with the Spartans, as they took the last four points for the game. Schatzle led all Spartans with seven kills, while DeBruler had nine for the Fighting Illini.
Illinois squeezed out a hard-fought game three, 30-28, in which the biggest lead for either side was three points. DeBruler dominated play for the Fighting Illini totaling 12 kills on 20 attempts, including the final three points of the game, as Illinois closed on a 4-1 run. Schatzle had seven kills for the Spartans, who only committed three attack errors in the game.
The Fighting Illini utilized a 12-0 stretch early to take the fourth game and seal the match, 30-25. MSU opened the game up 6-2, but Illinois responded with the run. However, the Spartans fought back to tie the game at 22, but could not retake the lead, as the Illini took the last four points. Trogdon had nine digs for the Spartans, as both teams hit under .100 for the game.
The Spartans return home to Jenison Field House next weekend for a two-match home stand, beginning with Ohio State on Friday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. and concluding with No. 1 Penn State on Saturday at 5 p.m.
