Northwestern Falls at No. 16 Michigan State

11/4/2016 7:45:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score | Season Stats

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Northwestern hung around with one of the nation's top teams, leading No. 16 Michigan State for most of the first set, but the Spartans pulled away as the match went on, sweeping the Wildcats at Jenison Fieldhouse.

Symone Abbott got off to a torrid pace, hammering down six kills in the first set alone. She finished with 11 on 37 attempts.

The Northwestern offense hit .237 overall, its best mark since a .306 performance at Indiana in the Big Ten opener. Gabrielle Hazen (.375) and Kayla Morin (.300) each hit well with Morin tallying seven kills, while Hazen added four.

Taylor Tashima handed out 22 assists, bringing her to 2,782 for her career, just 92 shy of fifth place in program history.

Freshman Sarah Johnson had a team-high 11 digs and was one of 10 players to get on the defensive score sheet with either a block or dig, but Michigan State hit .394 to hold the Wildcats at bay.

Chicago's Big Ten Team led for nearly the entire first set, holding a 16-12 advantage at one point, before the Spartans brought it back to 21-21 and then scored the final four points to win the set. After a second set that had the Spartans ahead all the way, Northwestern bounced back and held an early lead in the third. Michigan State went on a 12-0 run to take a 19-8 lead and put the match away.

The Wildcats' trip through Michigan continues with a contest at No. 17 Michigan tomorrow in Ann Arbor. That match will begin at 6 p.m. CT.