Grkovic Reaches Block Milestone As Volleyball Goes To Five Sets With Michigan State

Saturday, November 18

New Brunswick, N.J.

6:00 PM

Rutgers University

10-18,2-16Big Ten

Michigan State

17-12,9-9Big Ten

Michigan St.

Rutgers

Photo by: Emily Henderson

Grkovic Reaches Block Milestone As Volleyball Goes To Five Sets With Michigan State

Nov 18 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – On a night where the Scarlet Knight seniors were recognized, senior middle Kristina Grkovic became Rutgers' rally-era season and career blocks leader, as RU battled Michigan State to five sets on Saturday night at the College Ave Gym.

Rutgers took a 2-0 lead behind 25-20 and 25-17 victories, but Michigan State battled back to force a fifth and deciding set taking 25-17 and 25-13 wins in sets three and four. Even at 9-9 midway through the fifth set, the Spartans used a late surge for a 15-10 final set victory and the win.

STANDOUT STATS

Senior Kristina Grkovic became Rutgers' rally-era leader in career and season solo blocks. She totaled five blocks on the evening with her lone solo stop giving her 41 in her four seasons "On The Banks" and 19 on the season.
Rutgers finished with three Scarlet Knights in double-figure kills led by 13 from sophomore Taylor Humphrey.
Redshirt sophomore Alissa Kinkela notched her sixth double-double of the year behind 11 kills and 10 digs.
Fifth-year senior Alyssa Nayar put up 39 helpers to move closer to the 3,000 career assist mark. She needs 46 more assists to reach the milestone.
Senior Madyson Chitty had a team-high 11 digs while freshman Zora Hardison also made five blocks, including two solo rejections.

KEY MOMENTS

Set 1 (25-20) | Neither team led by more than two until two Spartan miscues and a pair of aces from Alissa Kinkela gave the Scarlet Knights a 20-17 edge. The four-point burst ultimately led to RU ending the opener outscoring Michigan State 9-2 for the win. Altogether the frame saw 14 ties and five lead changes. Taylor Humphrey led all with five kills while Alyssa Nayar put up five helpers to go along with a set-high six digs. At the net, RU out-blocked Michigan State, 5-2.

Set 2 (25-17) | Five unanswered points led to an 8-3 start for the Scarlet Knights in a set they would never trail. An Alissa Kinkela swing gave RU a 17-10 edge and one of Kristina Grkovic's six kills in the set gave RU its largest lead at 24-16. The Scarlet Knights only allowed the Spartans back-to-back points twice in the set, once early and later as they trailed by five at 20-15. Grkovic helped the Rutgers attack hit .409 by hitting at a .625 clip for the frame.

Set 3 (17-25) | It was an early 5-1 Michigan State lead, one which the Spartans would not relinquish. The visitors played out to a 21-11 advantage. Rutgers put together a late string of points with four unanswered including a pair of kills from Zora Hardison and Lexi Visintine coming off the bench for a kill to trail 22-16.

Set 3 (13-25) | The Spartans tied the match up hitting a match-best .520 with only three total errors in the set. Michigan State for the second-straight set led from start to finish ending on an 11-3 run.

Set 5 (10-25) | The Scarlet Knights and Spartans went to a fifth set for the third time in the series history. The sides were even at 9-9 when Michigan State rattled off five-straight points and took the win on a 6-1 run. Taylor Humphrey led all with a trio of kills while RU out-blocked the Spartans 5-4 in the frame.

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