Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
5-1
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
2-4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi | 20 | 11 | 18 | 0 |
| Michigan State | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Kranda, Bailey, Garvelink Lead Spartans to Invite Title
9/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Box Score | PDF Box Score: MSU 3, TAMCC 0 
WATCH: Highlights vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State captured the 2017 Auto Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational title with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-18) victory over Texas A&M Corpus-Christi on Saturday night.
The Spartans had three members of the All-Tournament Team: Autumn Bailey and Alyssa Garvelink joined tournament MVP on the team. Kranda hit .439 on the weekend and averaged a team-best 3.33 kills per set, and added 1.22 blocks. Bailey did not commit a hitting error over the three matches (29-0-67, .433), averaging 3.11 digs, 0.44 blocks, and 3.22 kills per frame. Garvelink averaged 1.56 blocks and 2.33 kills on th weekend, hitting a team-high .548.
In the Saturday night match, Bailey led the way with 16 kills on 29 swings, hitting .442 and adding eight digs. Garvelink hit .692 (10-1-13) and added three blocks, sharing the match high with Kranda; the 6-6 redshirt senior had nine kills and three aces as well.
For Corpus Christi, the Islanders had three players finish with six kills each (Brittany Gilpin, Madeleine Doud, and Kristyn Nicholson). Nicholson was the Islanders' representative on the All-Tournament Team.
Corpus Christi followed up a .258 hitting percentage in the opening set with a .348 performance in the second - but MSU countered with .441 in the first and .654 in the second, including a 17-kill, zero-error effort in the second frame. In the third, MSU held the Islanders to .083, but TAMCC still hit .211 for the match - the highest hitting percentage of any opponent this season. MSU, however, hit a season-best .432. The Spartans did have season lows in both aces (5) and blocks (6).
Sophomore setter Maggie Midgette got her first start of the season, compiling 38 assists, sven digs, two blocks, and three kills in leading MSU to its top hitting performance of the season. Libero Abby Monson had 16 digs and five assists.
The All-Tournament team consisted of the following players:
MVP: Brooke Kranda, Michigan State
Autumn Bailey, Michigan State
Madelyn Cole, Marshall
Ashlyn Dunbar, San Diego State
Alyssa Garvelink, Michigan State
Deja Harris, San Diego State
Kristyn Nicholson, Texas A&M Corpus Christi
QUOTABLE
"It was probably our best performance in that I really saw our players working on improving in all the areas that we had identified from last weekend. Autumn Bailey didn't have a single error all weekend, and was a force both offensively and defensively. I liked that we were able to see what Maggie Midgette could do in her first start of the season, too - it's important for us to develop the depth that will help us through the grind of a Big Ten season, and we were able to work in a lot of our young players this weekend. All in all, I think there's a lot to grow on as we get ready for the second half of our non-conference schedule."
- Head Coach Cathy George
TOP PERFORMERS
- Autumn Bailey had 16 kills on 29 swings (.552), season highs in both kills and hitting percentage. .
- Brooke Kranda finished with nine kills, three aces, and three blocks. She earned Tournament MVP honors.
- Maggie Midgette had 38 assists, seven digs, three kills, and a pair of blocks in her first start of the season.
STATS AND STORYLINES
- Autumn Bailey leads the Spartans in kills (2.94 per set) and is second in digs (3.33 per frame), and was 29-0-67 (.433) on the weekend.
- MSU's .432 hitting percentage was a season best. MSU had four players with at least six kills who hit .380 or better, led by Garvelink's .692.
- MSU swept all three opponents this weekend and is 5-0 in three-set matches.
- The Spartans have won each of their first two non-conference tournaments of the season.
