EAST LANSING– Michigan State lost to No. 14 Purdue three sets to one on Friday.

The Spartans started the match strongly in set one and took an early lead. MSU found holes in Purdue’s defense and took advantage of them. The Spartans looked comfortable and had great rhythm. MSU claimed set one with a kill from freshman outside hitter Selin Aslayan. 

Going into set two, MSU looked energized.

Both teams struggled to serve during the beginning of the second set. Four straight service errors mercifully ended with an ace from Purdue’s Eva Hudson. Hudson was also credited with a kill that tied the second-set score at 24. The Boilermakers won set two 26-24. 

Michigan State jumped out to an early third-set lead. MSU took the first point of set three with a kill from freshman outside hitter Maradith O’Gorman and began to dominate. Purdue immediately responded and closed the gap in MSU’s lead. The Boilermakers took the lead with a kill from redshirt-junior setter Megan Renner and pulled away from the Spartans. Purdue took the set with a senior outside hitter Madeline Koch kill.

Purdue now had an advantage over the Spartans after winning two sets. MSU started the fourth set strong and kept up with Purdue. The Boilermakers maintained control of the set and created separation from the Spartans. Purdue held its lead and took the fourth set 25-16.

MSU head coach Leah Johnson recognized that the team is competing at a high level, they just need to be able to mentally sustain it. Johnson said, 

“When they put that run together, that’s when I saw our mental game get small,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of some experience, continuing to battle through those tough stretches and recognizing just because they made one good play or two good plays doesn’t change how we should play automatically.” 

MSU will play No. 6 Ohio State on Nov. 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Breslin Center.