Volleyball falls to No. 23 Ohio State in four sets

The MSU volleyball team was unable to pull the upset over No. 23 Ohio State, falling to the Buckeyes 3-1 on Saturday night.

The Spartans (16-6 overall, 5-5 Big Ten) lost a tough match that saw excellent performances from freshman libero Kori Moster, who tied a single game career-high in digs with 28, and senior outside hitter Jenilee Rathje, who tallied her fourth straight double-double with 23 kills and 16 digs.

MSU started off strong, taking set one by a score of 25-23 in a back-and-forth battle that saw four lead changes and six tied scores. However, the Buckeyes were able to rally back, taking sets two, three and four by scores of 25-23, 25-19 and 25-21.

Throughout the season, the Spartans have taken pride in their impressive hitting percentage, at one point leading the nation in the category. But Saturday night was a different story, as MSU posted a season-low hitting percentage of .121. The Buckeyes were able to take advantage of Michigan State’s struggles and eventually hold on for the win.

The Spartans will return to East Lansing on Wednesday when they face Indiana at 8 p.m. in Jenison Field House. Earlier in the season, MSU beat the Hoosiers in Indiana, 3-1.