Sept. 26, 2003

Final Stats

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Junior Kim Schram (London, Ontario) led Michigan State volleyball's offense Friday with 22 kills as the Spartans fell to Penn State, 3-2. MSU is now 8-3 on the season and 0-1 in the Big Ten, while Penn State is 12-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten. Game scores were 30-20, 30-28, 30-28, 30-26, 16-14 in the match, and it's MSU's first five-game loss this season.

"It's a tough loss that is tougher because this is one we should have won," said head coach Chuck Erbe. "We have to take care of the home court, but it's only one of 20. We've got to put it away because it doesn't get any easier from here."

Despite the home court advantage, MSU got off to a slow start, losing the first game of the match, 30-20, but was able to come back from a seven-point defecit to defeat PSU in the second game, 30-28. The Spartans controlled the third game with a score of 27-23 but were not able to hold off the Lions' attack and lost, 30-28. In the fourth game, MSU came back from a four-point deficit before taking control of the game and winning, 30-26. In the final game of the match, Penn State led by as many as six before the Spartans tied it at 14. PSU went on to win the deciding game, 16-14.

Schram's 22 kills were a match best. Brooke Langston (Germantown, Tenn.) contributed 16 kills, three digs and six block assists in the match, while Jenny Rood (Ada, Mich.) had 15 kills and added seven blocks. Nikki Colson (Lincoln, Neb.) followed up a great weekend at American University (Sept. 20) with 63 assists, a match-high. Colson also added 18 digs, two block assists and two digs.

All-America selection Cara Smith paced Penn State with 21 kills on .333 hitting. She also had seven block assists. Sam Tortorello had 61 assists and nine blocks for the Nittany Lions.

"We've got to rebound and get better from here," Erbe said. "We have Ohio State tomorrow night and they have the best player in the conference in Stacey Gordon. We have to put this one aside and get ready to play."

The Spartans return to action Saturday (Sept. 27) against Ohio State (6-3, 0-1) at Jenison Field House at 8 p.m. The Buckeyes lost in three games at Michigan Friday, 37-35, 30-24, 30-24.

#12 PENN STATE 3, #14 MICHIGAN STATE 2
	1	2	3	4	5
#12 PENN ST.	30	28	30	26	16
#14 MICHIGAN ST.	20	30	28	30	14

TEAM ATTACK PER GAME
PSU	K	E	TA	Pct.
1	17	8	36	.250
2	18	10	57	.140
3	17	7	48	.208
4	17	6	46	.239
5	7	3	21	.190
TOTAL	76	34	208	.202

MSU	K	E	TA	PCT.
1	11	7	32	.125
2	17	7	48	.208
3	17	9	45	.178
4	20	4	43	.372
5	10	8	26	.077
TOTAL	75	35	194	.206