EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 864 fans, the University of Evansville volleyball team gave Michigan State everything it could handle before falling by a 3-1 final inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse on Wednesday evening.

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Box Score

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Three Purple Aces recorded a team-best six kills including Sabrina Ripple, Hinsley Everett, and Brooke Herdes. Kora Ruff finished with 24 assists while Ainoah Cruz added eight digs. Ripple had two solo and two block assists. Michigan State was led by Taylah Holdem who had 16 kills while Evie Doezema completed the night with 15.
 
Game 1 – MSU 26, UE 24
In an exciting first set, it was Michigan State pulling off the 26-24 win. The Spartans had the early momentum jumping out to a 10-5 lead. Following time out, the Aces regrouped to take a 14-13 lead. Kora Ruff served up two aces while Sabrina Ripple added a kill. MSU regained the lead as they went up 19-16, but UE bounced back once again to go up 20-19. Ainoah Cruz recorded a pair of aces during the stretch.
 
Evansville continued its run, going up 23-21 on a kill by Chloe Cline. The back-and-forth action continued as the Spartans countered with the next three tallies. Hinsley Everett notched a kill to tie it up at 24-24, but the final two points belonged to MSU as they took the early match lead.
 
Game 2 – MSU 25, UE 16
Looking to tie the match, the Aces jumped out to a 4-1 lead to open the second frame. Brooke Herdes and Ripple picked up kills in the early run. MSU countered with three in a row to tie things up before a 10-3 run established an 11-7 lead. They continued to add to the advantage, extending it to 22-11.  Evansville chipped away in the final stages before falling by a final of 25-16.
 
Game 3 – UE 25, MSU 23
Another nice start saw the Aces take another 4-1 lead. McKenzie Laubach opened with a kill while Cruz added another ace. Evansville continued its strong play as Everett picked up a kill that made it an 8-4 game.  The Spartans countered to tie the game at 9-9 before taking their first edge of the set at 14-13.
 
UE did not trail for long as Carlotta Pascual Centelles registered a kill that put her team in front at 15-14.  The Aces would not trail for the remainder of the frame. Josdarilee Caraballo picked up a kill to help her team go up 21-17. Michigan State closed within a point at 23-22 before two more Caraballo kills sealed a 25-23 win.
 
Game 4 – MSU 25, UE 16
Both squads swapped the lead in the early moments of the fourth set. While MSU had the early 1-0 edge, the Aces fought back to take an 8-6 lead on a kill by Pascual Centelles. The Spartans took control midway through the set when a 4-0 spurt turned a 14-12 lead into an 18-12 advantage. Everett ended the stretch with a kill, but MSU finished strong, clinching the match with the 25-16 decision.
 
Next up for the Aces is a trip to Atlanta for the GSU Invitational.  UE opens with matches against Florida A&M and Queens on Friday.