Spartans Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Quickly Sweeps Iowa

The Spartans welcomed Iowa to Jenison Field House to celebrate and recognize those affected by breast cancer.

In the first set the Spartans were able to pull a prompt lead forcing the Hawkeyes to take two early timeouts with the Spartans leading 12-4. Lauren Wicinski was awarded a service ace followed by a kill by Kelsey Kuipers to bring the Spartans score to 15-6. Chloe Reinig was able to tally back-to-back blocks to give the Spartans an 11-point lead. The Hawkeyes tried to stay in the game but could not close the gap more than nine points. Alex Lovell tried to save a nearly out of play ball but was unable and committed an error to give the Spartans set point. Taylor Galloway took the opportunity to finish the first set off with a kill in wide-open territory to take the first set 25-14 over Iowa.

The second set began with Alexis Mathews and Wicinski tallying strong kills to bring the score to 5-1. A few errors back and forth, followed by mishandled volleys by the Hawkeyes gave Galloway the opportunity to bring the score to 12-6. Reinig tallied two more points for MSU before Kori Moster had a service ace making Iowa call a timeout at 15-7. Michigan State strengthened their lead to 10 points at 20-10 before Iowa felt the need to call their final timeout of the set. Mathews had a big kill and Wicinski followed with a block to bring the score to 23-13. An attack error by Lovell gave Moster the final serve of the second game to finish the set 25-13.

With Spartans leading 6-2 in the third set Iowa began by yet again by taking an early timeout. The Hawkeyes gained a point off of a Moster service error, but Allyssah Fitterer, Jazmine White and Wicinski were able to tally on four points to bring the score to 10-3. Iowa was able to close the Spartans lead to two with kills by Lauren Brobst and Lovell. With the score 17-14, Halle Peterson cost the Spartans a point with a service error. Fitterer made up for the error with three kills in a row to bring the score to 20-15 making Iowa take a timeout. Iowa regrouped and gained a point from a Lovell kill. Iowa came back within three at 22-19 with an out of play ball by Wicinski and a Lovell kill. Lovell had a kill and a service ace to get the Hawkeyes within two but a mishit ball by Iowa brought the match to set point. Iowa’s Lovell ended the match with an attack error and brought the score of the final set to 25-21.

Lovell led the Hawkeyes in points with 12 kills, two assists and three digs while Wicinski was the Spartans key player finishing the match with 12 kills, two aces and four digs.

With the sweep over Iowa, the Spartans are now on a 14-game win streak. The Spartans will take on Nebraska at 7 p.m. tomorrow night at Jenison Field House to defend their win streak.

 

Jennifer Swanchara is the volleyball reporter and host of Bump, Set, Spike for Impact Sports.