Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
4-0
New Mexico
2-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | 22 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 15 | 3 |
| New Mexico | 25 | 19 | 27 | 24 | 10 | 2 |
Spartans Rally Back to Top New Mexico in Five
9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 3, 2010
HONOLULU, Hawaii - The Spartans opened action at the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic with a 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 26-24, 15-10) win over New Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 2, in Honolulu, Hawaii. With the win, MSU (4-0) extends its non-conference win streak to 26 straight matches. Junior Kyndra Abron (Livonia, Mich.) paced all Spartans with 16 kills and a .355 hitting percentage.
The Spartans fell behind early, trailing 9-4 before they called their first timeout of the set. With the score 18-13, MSU rallied out three straight points to pull within two, 18-16. The final point in that series caused New Mexico to call a timeout. Following the timeout, the Spartans were able to tie the match at 20, before the Lobos took five of the final seven points to take the first set 25-22. Abron was the top attacker for MSU with five kills.
MSU got out to a 4-2 lead in the second set after junior Natalie Emro (Wildwood, Mo.) posted a solo block on Kelly Williamson. Freshman Kristen Kelsay (Wheaton, Ill.) recorded an ace on Allison Buck to bring the score to 6-2, forcing New Mexico into a timeout. MSU closed out its 7-0 run with another Kelsay service ace, before the Lobos posted a kill and bring the score to 9-3. New Mexico ended up fighting back to make the score 14-11. The NMU rally forced MSU into a timeout. A 5-2 Spartan rally brought the score to 19-14 and the Lobos into its final timeout of the set. The set was closed out after MSU took six of the 11 final points, bringing the score to 25-19. Emro and Abron each had three kills in the set to lead the team.
The third set opened with no team able to gain control of the set. Both teams traded service throughout after MSU got out to a 2-0 lead. NMU responded by getting out on the Spartans, 8-6. Three of the next four points went in favor of the Green and White as the score became tied at nine. New Mexico kept trying to pull away from the Spartans, before MSU pulled back closer, as there were 13 ties throughout the set. After the Lobos forced set point with the score 24-23, MSU tied the set back up at both 24 and 25, before NMU closed it out, 27-25. Junior Becca Zlabis (Wheaton, Ill.) led the team in the set with five kills.
Trailing 2-1 in sets, MSU stormed out at to a 5-1 lead over New Mexico in the fourth set. The Lobos pulled within one at 11-10, after two straight MSU attack errors. NMU took the two following points after a MSU timeout to take a 13-11 lead. The two teams would once again trade service until MSU went on a 3-0 run and tie the set at 21. The Spartans would continue to hang strong after neither team was able to gain control of the set. With NMU holding a 24-23 match point, the Green and White managed to take the next three points and win the fourth set by a score of 26-24. Abron once again tallied a five kill set effort.
The fifth set opened with neither team holding an offensive edge over the other. NMU got out to a 2-0, before the Spartans found themselves with a 5-3 lead. Both teams would trade points before the MSU took two straight, bringing the score to 11-9 and causing the Lobos to call a timeout. Four more Spartan points closed out the match, giving MSU the 15-10 fifth set win. Senior Megan Schatzle (Monroe, Mich.) led the team in the final set with four kills.
Joining Abron with double-digit kill marks was Schatzle with 14 and Zlabis with 13. Leading the Spartans with assists was Emro with 31. Kelsay also had double-digit assists with 23. Three Spartans also recorded double-digit dig efforts. Leading the way was Allyson Karaba with 16, following by junior Carli Weiler (Oak Lawn, Ill.) with 14 and Zlabis with 12. Emro also lead the team in blocks with seven total (1-6). Freshman Alexis Mathews (Detroit, Mich.) had the next highest block total with six (0-6).
MSU returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 4, when they will face No. 4 Hawaii at 1 a.m. ET in the second match of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic. The Spartans will close out action on Saturday, Sept. 4, with an 11 p.m. ET match against No. 10 Southern California.
