KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Auburn volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22) contest to Michigan State Friday afternoon, opening up the Western Michigan Tournament in University Arena.
Sophomore Tatum Shipes totaled eight kills with four blocks and two aces. Senior Enija Bidzane and sophomore Val Green added seven kills apiece, while junior Chesney McClellan finished with six.
Senior Shaina White and McClellan chipped in three blocks each and junior libero Payton White finished with 12 digs.
The Tigers return to the court Friday night, taking on host Western Michigan at 6 p.m. CT in University Arena.
SET ONE
After falling behind early, the Tigers pushed a 9-2 run to take a 13-10 advantage. Another three-point push from Auburn led to a 17-13 lead and a S. White/Green block made it 20-14, forcing a MSU timeout. The Spartans battled back to lock it up at 20-all, but a kill from Green and back-to-back Hines aces gave the Tigers the set, 25-22.
SET TWO
MSU took the advantage to start the set on Auburn Errors, but big blocks from Tigers tied it up at 11-11. A kill from Shipes and a Shipes/S. White stuff made it 13-all before the Spartans pushed a 9-2 rally to lead 21-15. MSU capitalized on momentum to win the stanza, 25-17.
SET THREE
Tied at 6-6, the Spartans used a pair of two-point runs to go ahead 10-7. Longer MSU rallies halfway through the set made it 19-12 before Auburn capitalized on Spartan errors to cut the MSU lead at 23-19. MSU held for a 25-20 win.
SET FOUR
The Spartans used momentum in the final set to take a large lead, 13-5. A kill by Jaeden Brown late in the set triggered a 6-2 Auburn run, bringing the Tigers within two at 22-20 MSU. The Tigers held off three match points before MSU sealed the win with a 25-22 victory.