Volleyball Fights Until Final Whistle in Loss at North Carolina – Michigan State University Athletics

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Michigan State volleyball program noticed its season-opening unbeaten streak come to an finish on Friday night time, falling to North Carolina in three units, 25-16, 25-19, 29-27, at Carmichael Area. Head Coach Leah Johnson‘s Spartans fought valiantly to push the match to a fourth set, in the end arising brief in a 3rd set nail-biter.
 
“Gosh we combat, we combat laborious,” Johnson stated. “I am unable to be dissatisfied with our capacity to go further factors and play to the max. I favored our combat by means of the entire match. I feel we realized that we’re relying somewhat bit an excessive amount of on sideline info versus self-led on-court info. As soon as we turned that swap on the sport modified.”
 
Freshman Evie Doezema led the group on Friday night time with 13 kills and added eight digs enjoying six rotations. Doezema had a vital 4 kills on the finish of the third set to maintain Michigan State within the combat late. The Spartans trailed 24-23 and Doezema’s kills represented the ultimate 4 factors for the Spartans.
 
“Evie Doezema is beginning to evolve for us,” Johnson stated. “She is enjoying six rotations, passing at a excessive quantity, taking loads of swings and now scoring at a extra environment friendly clip which is large.”
 
Different Spartan team-leaders included graduate pupil Zoe Nunez with 20 assists and junior Nalani Iosia with 16 digs. 4 totally different Spartans had two whole blocks in opposition to the Tar Heels, with freshman Nil Okur stuffing the one solo block for MSU.
 
The Spartans have been outhit .252 to .150 within the match, however hit higher than North Carolina within the set three, .167 to .149. Tar Heel hitters Charley Niego and Kaya Merkler have been the distinction makers for UNC, with Niego netting 15 kills on the night time and Merkler including 10.
 
Friday’s hard-fought set three featured 15 tied scores and 5 totally different lead adjustments all through. The Spartans trailed by as many as three factors mid-way by means of the set earlier than occurring a 5-1 run to steer 17-16 on an Okur kill. MSU led 21-19 earlier than UNC caught fireplace out of a timeout, occurring a 4-0 run to take a 23-21 lead over the Spartans.
 
Dealing with match level, trailing 24-22, Doezema linked on back-to-back kills to tie the match at 24-all. Doezema’s fourth straight kill gave MSU a 27-26 lead, however a 3-0 run from North Carolina ended the match in favor of the Tar Heels.
 
UP NEXT: Michigan State returns to the court docket on Saturday, September 10, taking up Duke from Cameron Indoor Stadium at 6:30 p.m. The Blue Devils are 6-2 on the season and are recent off a 3-1 win over Michigan on Friday night time.