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Sports | Volleyball

VOLLEYBALL

Badgers end Spartan winning ways; spikers go down 3-1

Dan Woike
September 22, 2001

Madison, Wisc. - After seven straight wins, the Spartan volleyball team\'s winning streak came to a screeching halt Friday, as the Wisconsin Badgers rolled through MSU 3-1. "They didn\'t do anything I didn\'t expect," Spartan head coach Chuck Erbe said. The Badgers (7-2, 1-0) used various rallies throughout the four game match to break down the Spartans en route to the home victory winning 30-24, 30-18, 25-30, 30-20. The Spartans (7-1, 0-1) tried to control their poor passing and serve receiving in an effort to keep the match close, but the Badgers were too much. Outside hitter Erin Byrd led the Badgers with 20 kills and 11 digs, claiming her fourth double-double of the season. Middle blocker Sherisa Livingston also added 19 kills for the Badgers, but fell short of spectacular with 11 attack errors. Senior outside hitter Erin Hartley and junior outside hitter Kyla Smith led the Spartans with 13 kills each.

VOLLEYBALL

Knopps turns into major hitter for team

Dan Woike
September 13, 2001

Surprises have surrounded sophomore outside hitter-turned-defensive specialist Stephanie Knopp all year.A pre-season chat with MSU head coach Chuck Erbe left Knopp thinking she had to improve if she wanted to play, she said.

VOLLEYBALL

Hartley earns Big Ten player of the week nod

James Jahnke
September 11, 2001

Things are good in the world of MSU volleyball. The Spartans (7-0) are off to their best start in 12 years, and one of their star players is the reigning Big Ten Volleyball Player of the Week. Senior outside hitter Erin Hartley earned the honor with an MVP effort in the Coca-Cola Spartan Invitational, which the Spartans won this weekend.

VOLLEYBALL

Coca-Cola tournament wins give Spartans best start since 1989

Dan Woike
September 10, 2001

Senior outside hitter Erin Hartley is no stranger to personal accolades.She can now add most valuable player of the Coca-Cola Spartan Invitational to her list of individual accomplishments, after she led the Spartans (7-0) to another undefeated weekend and tournament title at Jenison Field House.MSU hasn’t started the season 7-0 since 1989.Spartan head coach Chuck Erbe said Hartley is playing at a level he has never witnessed.“Erin Hartley played the best weekend of volleyball I have ever seen,” he said.

VOLLEYBALL

Erbe: respect for opponenets key in tournament

Dan Woike
September 7, 2001

Listening to Spartan volleyball players and coaches talk, you’d think they were rehearsing an Aretha Franklin song. “R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” Head coach Chuck Erbe knows those seven letters are embedded in the minds of his players as they look to make it two tournament titles in a row at the Coca-Cola Spartan Invitational this weekend. “I’ve always told them the first rule of war is to respect your opponent,” Erbe said.

VOLLEYBALL

MSU shines in Classic, finishes undefeated

Dan Woike
September 4, 2001

The MSU volleyball team can check one goal off its to-do list after winning all four of its matches at this weekend’s MSU Volleyball Classic at Jenison Field House. “To win this tournament on our home court was a big goal of ours,” senior outside hitter Erin Hartley said. The Spartans defeated Auburn 3-1 and Dayton 3-1 on Friday and capped the tournament with 3-1 victories against Denver and Western Michigan on Saturday. “These early season victories will help the team become more sure of itself,” sophomore setter Nikki Colson said. “It’s an incredible confidence booster.

VOLLEYBALL

Sophomore status doesnt stop Colson as leader

Dan Woike
August 29, 2001

On every team, every player has some responsibility. Some have more than others. In volleyball, the setter plays that lead roll. Spartan volleyball Coach Chuck Erbe describes the setter position as similar to other sports’ positions often mentioned in the same breath as leadership. “It’s like the quarterback in football and the point guard in basketball,” Erbe said.