Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
10-4, 2-1Big Ten
Indiana
9-7, 1-3Big Ten
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | 14 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 1 |
| Indiana | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Volleyball Falls Short at Indiana, Loses 3-1
10/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 3, 2008
Bloomington, Ind. - The 2008 MSU volleyball team (10-4, 2-1) had its 10-match winning streak snapped after losing to Indiana, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25,25-23, 25-20) Friday night at University Gym. Sophomore libero Allyson Karaba (Muskegon, Mich.) and freshman outside hitter Kyndra Abron (Livonia, Mich.) both had career nights in the loss. Karaba tallied 27 digs in the four-set match, a career-high while Abron added a career-best 12 kills.
The Spartans, who had not lost the first set in a match this season, found themselves down early to the Hoosiers, 9-3. Unable to rebound, MSU would drop the set, 25-14. Outside hitters Megan Schatzle (Monroe, Mich.) and Abron would pace the Spartans with three kills apiece. MSU found themselves down 1-0 for the first time this season heading into the second.
The second set would open with some long rallies as the points would go back-and-forth. The Spartans back line, consisting Karaba, Carli Weiler (Oak Lawn, Ill.) and Heather McDaniel (Madison Heights, Mich.), teamed to make several key plays to keep points alive, giving them a one-point advantage at 8-7. After hitting .552 in the first, the Hoosiers had trouble getting the ball past the Spartan block in the second set. The Spartans used their defense to build an 18-14 advantage. Despite the Hoosiers best attempt to rally, the MSU attack proved to be too much, as they would win the second set 25-23, knotting the match at 1-1 heading into intermission.
Karaba played a vital role in the second-set victory for MSU, tallying eight digs. She also pitched in two assists in helping MSU win the second set. Abron added another three kills to her stat sheet in the third, as she led all Spartan attackers with six kills. Junior Vanessa King (Spring Lake, Mich.) and Schatzle both had five kills through two sets. The Spartans added four blocks to the stat sheet in the second set as Vineece Verdun (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and Natalie Emro (Wildwood, Mo.) totaled two block assists apiece. Emro handed out 22 helpers through the first two sets.
The back-and-forth action would continue in the third set as the teams would exchange points until the Hoosiers built a late 21-18 advantage. Despite more heroics from Karaba, who tallied eight digs in the third set, moving her match total to 19, the Spartans could not overcome hitting .091 as a team in the third, losing the set, 25-21. Abron paced all hitters with 10 kills while King was right behind her with eight. Emro posted 11 assists in each set, moving her match total to 33.
King tallied four of the Spartans first five kills, helping MSU jump out to a 6-4 lead early in the fourth. Indiana would rally, taking 12 of the next 17 points, earning a 16-11 lead. The Hoosiers would not look back, winning the final set, 25-20.
King would finish the match with a team-best 16 kills after posting eight kills in the final set. Emro added 46 assists while Becca Zlabis (Wheaton, Ill.) pitched in eight kills from the outside.
The Spartans will continue Big Ten play tomorrow night as they take on No. 1 Penn State in State College, Pa. at 7 p.m. at Rec Hall. Live Audio, featuring the voice of the Spartans, John Kreger, can be found at www.msuspartans.com.
