Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
11-10, 3-7Big Ten
Indiana
17-5, 5-5Big Ten
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | 17 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 13 | 2 |
| Indiana | 25 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
Spartans are Unable to Hold Off Hoosiers, Fall 3-2
10/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 23, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Michigan State volleyball team (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten) closed out the first half of Big Ten play with a 3-2 loss to Indiana (17-5, 5-5 Big Ten) on Saturday, Oct. 23. Junior Kyndra Abron's (Livonia, Mich.) career night offensively with 22 kills was not quite enough in the Spartans effort against the Hoosiers.
After getting the opening point of the match, the Spartans found themselves tied with IU 2-2 before the Hoosiers went off on an 8-0 run, making the score 10-2 as MSU called its first timeout. The Green and White followed the break in action with a 6-1 run to force an IU timeout at 13-8. A 3-1 Hoosiers run forced the Spartans into their second timeout of the set. Indiana pushed its lead to eight at 19-11 before MSU got within six at 20-14. The Hoosiers got to set point at 24-16 and allowed the Green and White to tally one more point before closing out the set, 25-17. Abron and red-shirt junior Jenilee Rathje (Mount Pleasant, Mich.) each tallied three kills for MSU in the first set.
The Spartans responded in set two with offensive dominance, taking a strong 5-1 lead early on. After three of the next five points went in favor of the Green and White, IU called its first timeout of the set with the score 8-3. The Hoosiers responded following the break with four straight points to pull within one of the Spartans, 8-7. Michigan State once again got its lead back up to three at 11-8, before the lead grew to five at 16-11, just as the Hoosiers called its final timeout of the set. MSU remained in the driver's seat 19-12 before it closed out the set at 25-18. Abron once again was the offensive force for the Green and White with her four second set kills.
With control of the match following intermission, the Spartans managed to tie the set up at 2-2 before gaining the slightest lead at 4-3. The MSU lead became two at 8-6 as well as 10-8, before the Spartans got it to five at 14-9, causing IU to call its first timeout of the set. Michigan State remained in control of the set with a six point lead at 16-10 and 19-13. Two consecutive Hoosier points caused the Spartans to call its first timeout at 19-15. MSU got to set point at 24-18 before four straight Indiana points made it a close two-point lead at 24-22 which caused the final Green and White timeout to be called. Michigan State immediately closed out the set with the 25-22 win. Abron netted six third set kills for MSU.
In the closest set of the night, after both teams were tied at one, the Hoosiers gained the 3-1 lead before the Spartans tied it up at three. Both teams would begin to trade service and leads before the set was tied at seven. MSU gained the first two-point lead of the set after taking three of four points, making the score 10-8. IU responded by once again tying up the set at 10. The Spartans would fight off another tie with Indiana and regain a lead at 19-16. Three consecutive points from the Hoosiers tied it back up at 19, causing the Spartans to call their first timeout of the set. Another two points from Indiana made it 21-19 and saw MSU call its second and final timeout of the set. After the Hoosiers held a 22-20 lead, the Green and White tied the set up for the final time at 22. Indiana, however, took three of the four final points scored to get the 25-23 fourth set win. Abron kept with her trend as she was the top force for the Green and White with another five kills.
The fifth and deciding set opened with Indiana taking control of the set with a 3-1 lead, which later grew to a 5-2 lead. The Spartans found themselves once again down by three at 7-4 before calling their first timeout of the set. The IU lead grew to four at 10-6, before MSU rattled off two consecutive points to force an IU timeout at 10-8. Three of the next four points in favor of Michigan State tied the set at 11. The Hoosiers got three of the next four in their favor to force set point. The Spartans were able to rally off another point however, as IU finished off the set at 15-13.
Joining Abron in double-digit kill figures was Rathje with 14 and senior Megan Schatzle (Monroe, Mich.) with 10. Junior Natalie Emro (Wildwood, Mo.) had her fourth double-double of the season as she tied with a team-best 28 assists as well as 15 digs. Senior Allyson Karaba (Muskegon, Mich.) was the top digger for MSU with 19 total. Junior Becca Zlabis (Wheaton, Ill.) also had double-digit dig numbers with 10. Rathje led the team at the net with six assists, while Abron chipped in another five. Freshman Kristen Kelsay (Wheaton, Ill.) was tied with Emro with 28 assists for the night.
MSU opens the second half of Big Ten play next weekend when it closes out its four-match road trip with a voyage to Wisconsin and Illinois. The Spartans will first play the Badgers on Friday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a match against the Fighting Illini on Saturday, Oct. 30 also at 8 p.m. ET.
