Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
11-10, 3-7
Purdue
17-5, 6-4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue | 19 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 3 |
| Michigan State | 25 | 19 | 16 | 25 | 12 | 2 |
Volleyball Drops Five-Set Decision to No. 18 Purdue
10/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 25, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State volleyball fell to No. 18 Purdue tonight at Jenison Field House in five sets (25-19, 19-25, 16-25, 25-22, 12-15). The Spartans have now lost five consecutive matches, falling to 11-10 overall and 3-7 in the Big Ten. Purdue improves to 17-5, 6-4.
Freshmen Becca Zlabis and Kyndra Abron both posted career-high nights offensively. Zlabis tallied a season-best 19 kills on a season-best 43 attempts, and had a .357 hitting percentage, her third best of the season and highest in Big Ten play. Meanwhile, Abron also had season-highs in kills (17) and attempts (36).
The Spartans came out strong in the first set, taking it to the Boilermakers from the outset. Two kills by redshirt freshman Vineece Verdun and a kill by Zlabis highlighted a 4-0 Spartan run that opened up a 10-5 lead. Purdue would get no closer than four from there on out, as MSU took set one, 25-19. The Spartans hit .400 in the opening stanza, tallying 18 kills, paced by five from Abron.
Purdue took the first point of the second set and never trailed, taking the set, 25-19. With the score tied at two, the Boilermakers ran off six-straight points to take away the Spartans' momentum from set one. MSU tried to get back in the set, getting within three at 19-16, but Purdue took five of the next six points to regain the momentum.
Purdue's play from set two continued after the break into the third set, as the Boilermakers took the set, 25-16. Again, Purdue held the lead from the start, taking the first three points, but the Spartans would battle back to tie the set at six and then again at nine. MSU, however, could never get the lead in the set and Purdue continued to expand the lead as the set went on.
Michigan State showed fight in the fourth set, keeping the match alive with a 25-22 win. For the third straight set, Purdue took the first point, but this time the Spartans were actually able to gain an advantage, opening a 7-3 lead, their first since the opening set, behind a 5-0 run, The Boilermakers ran off four-straight points later in the set to open a 12-10 lead and would hold the slight lead until MSU matched their run of four to swing the score back to the home team at 15-13. The Spartans never trailed again, taking the set and extending the match.
Both schools came out swinging in the overtime, posting hitting percentages over .400, but Purdue's play in the middle proved to be too much, as the nationally ranked Boilermakers took the set and the match, 15-12. With the set tied at four, Purdue went on a 6-1 run to gain, what seems like an insurmountable lead. However, the Spartans kept battling but would eventually fall a couple points short.
Junior Vanessa King joined Zlabis and Abron in double-figures kills with 10. Freshman Natalie Emro tied her season-high with 54 assists, matching her total from the Northwestern and Central Michigan matches. Senior libero Allyson Karaba led the defense with 19 digs.
The Spartans return to the road next weekend for Big Ten matchups against Wisconsin on Friday night and Northwestern on Saturday.
