Volleyball hopes to do a job on Spartans

Things aren't exactly in order up in East Lansing. After Michigan State lost starting setter Christine Landry, the Spartans have stumbled through a four-match losing streak before hosting Michigan tonight.

But Michigan State coach Chuck Erbe said his players are doing great a job.

After losing Landry to a torn ACL during a 3-1 win over Ohio State, the Spartans have faltered. That was Michigan State's last win and the Spartans have since dropped four in a row.

But Erbe said his players have struggled to overcome Landry's injury.

"I think it speaks for itself," Erbe said.

The Spartans have failed to win a match since the injury and the only match in which they managed to win a game was a 3-2 loss to Iowa.

Landry's replacement, Vicki Basil, has had trouble running Michigan State's offense.

"I think she's been doing a great job," Erbe said.

How great a job that's been is in question. The Spartans' offense has suffered greatly since the switch. Michigan State has a pitiful .183 attack percentage in the three lopsided losses.

Michigan State's outside hitters have been trying to pick up the slack since the injury. In every loss since Landry went down, at least one Spartan has reached double digits in kills. Outside hitter Sarah Gustin even hit 31 kills against Iowa.

Guess what Erbe thinks about her?

"I think she's been doing a great job," Erbe said.

Erbe might actually be right on that one, but Michigan State's weakness is in its new setter. No matter how much of a great job Erbe thinks Basil is doing, she is still produces a .029 attack percentage in comparison to Landry's .190.

Most importantly, the Spartans have yet to notch a win with their new setter. Even in the match against Iowa, Michigan State eventually lost in the fifth game. Michigan beat Iowa the next night in three straight games.

Even though Michigan State was swept by Purdue two weeks ago, Michigan took the same Boilermaker team down to the wire in a five-game loss.

The Wolverines also played without their best defensive player - junior Alija Pittenger - for half of the match because she was unable to play in the front row while recovering from an ankle injury.

"Defense has been our downfall," Michigan coach Mark Rosen said. "We've been growing as a defensive team trying to get better and better and better."

The Wolverines' defense is something that has suffered the last few matches with the loss of Pittenger for a stretch of a few games and the shuffling of the lineup.

Sophomore Katrina Lehman and senior Maggie Cooper have found themselves playing more as Rosen has sacrificed height in his middle blockers for better defense.

Which will be helpful against a team like Michigan State that depends on its attack.

"We just want to go out there play hard and come away with a win," Cooper said.

10-13-99