Thursday, March 28, 2024

SPORTS UPDATE: Indiana sweeps Spartan volleyball team

November 9, 2002

The Spartans expected a quick match Friday night in Bloomington but they didn’t expect it to end this way.

Indiana outplayed the Spartans and picked up a 30-27, 30-26, 30-26 sweep. The Spartans (15-8 overall, 7-6 Big Ten) had won eight straight against Indiana (17-8, 7-6) and 16 of the last 17 meetings.

It was the first Indiana sweep over MSU since October 16, 1993.

MSU head coach Chuck Erbe wasn’t in the happiest mood after the match and didn’t have much to say.

“A very disappointing loss - that’s all I’ve got to say,” Erbe said.

MSU didn’t have the offensive performance it had hoped. For the match, the team hit a dismal .193 while never hitting over .237 in any game.

Only one player, junior outside hitter Jenny Rood reached double-digit kills with 11. Senior middle Angela Morley and redshirt freshman middle Megan Wallin chipped in nine apiece.

“We didn’t show up to play tonight,” Morley said. “It’s something different every time and we didn’t play like we can play.”

Indiana took advantage of a flat Spartan start in game one. Though the score was close for most of the match, the Hoosiers picked up the tight win with a slim hitting-percentage margin (.190-.176).

The start of game two forecasted a Hoosier blowout. Indiana jumped out to quick 7-1 lead following a handful of MSU miscues. The Hoosiers took their biggest lead at 12-4 forcing an MSU timeout.

But an Erbe timeout the Spartans grabbed three consecutive points and slowly crept back into the game. The Spartans pulled to within 18-20, but there weren’t enough points in the game as Indiana picked up the 30-26 win.

Following the 12 minute intermission the Spartans came out firing on all cylinders. MSU jumped to a quick 5-2 lead but Indiana wouldn’t give in.

The Hoosiers battled back and both squads were neck and neck until MSU took a timeout at 19-19. But The Spartans killed the Hoosiers’ momentum and forced Indiana to take a timeout at 24-24.

All the momentum was silenced as Indiana cruised the rest of the game to take a 30-6 win and pick up the match sweep.

“We just came out really flat and I think we’re just taking it as a learning lesson,” junior defensive specialist Stephanie Knopp said. “It’s just mental, it’s just little things we have to take care of in our own heads.

“They did play a good game, but we could have been right there with them.”

MSU next takes the floor at 7 p.m. Saturday against Ohio State.

Discussion

Share and discuss “SPORTS UPDATE: Indiana sweeps Spartan volleyball team” on social media.