Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Host Rutgers Saturday at Jenison
11/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
| Michigan State vs. Rutgers | |
| Dates | Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014; 7 p.m. East Lansing, Mich. Jenison Field House |
| Tickets & Packages | Four Seats, Four Treats Order Tickets |
| Television/Video Stream | none |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network | Download the SSN App |
| Live Statistics | |
| Download Game Notes | Michigan State | Rutgers |
| Previews | Cathy |
| Social Media | @MichStVB  | Facebook  |
| Promotions | Free Admission with MSU-Rutgers Football Ticket Stub; Post-Game Autographs - Seniors |
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• MSU welcomes league newcomer Rutgers to Jenison Field House for the Scarlet Knights' first ever game in East Lansing as a part of the Big Ten. Rutgers is still looking for its first win in Conference play, and brings a 7-23 overall record into the weekend after falling at Purdue on Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights started the season 4-2, but have struggled since the intense competition of the B1G season began.
• Rutgers and MSU met once prior to the Scarlet Knights joining the Conference - MSU defeated Rutgers 3-0 during the MSU Volleyball Classic in the first weekend of the 2000 season.
• Freshman Meme Fletcher leads RU in kills (2.59/s), and also averages 2.41 digs per set, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten Mikaela Matthews is the top player at the net (0.98 Blk/s) Anna Sudbury averages 5.91 assists per set, while Nicole Bayer chips in 5.31 and junior libero Ali Schroeter is fifth in digs (4.20/set).
• In the first meeting of the teams, Michigan State earned a 3-0 victory at Rutgers (25-16, 25-21, 25-21). Chloe Reinig finished with 12 kills and six digs, while freshman Alyssa Garvelink had 10 kills. For the home team, Meme Fletcher had eight kills, while Alex Lassa had seven kills and three blocks.
• The Spartans have won two straight, earning a 3-1 win at Northwestern on Wednesday after a 3-0 defeat of Indiana here at Jenison last Saturday. Against the Wildcats, the Spartans posted a convincing 25-15 win in the opening set, but the home team took the second set, 27-25 to even the match. MSU came out with guns blazing to take the next two sets (25-9, 25-13). Freshman Alyssa Garvelink had 11 blocks, a career best; her four solo blocks was the third-highest total in school history in a four-set match. The freshman added nine kills to just miss her first career double-double, but she hit .450 (9-0-20) and added an assist and a dig. Senior Taylor Galloway had a double-double with 10 kills and 17 digs, and classmate Kori Moster just missed her career best with 27 digs. Chloe Reinig led all players with 14 kills and added three blocks, while Allyssah Fitterer had 12 kills and a solo block. Rachel Minarick had 40 assists. For the home team, Kayla Morin had 12 kills, while Symone Abbot had 10 kills and a block.
• MSU has set school records in each of its last two matches for fewest points allowed to an opponent. The Spartans limited Indiana to 34 points in a 3--0 sweep at home last Saturday, surpassing the previous record of 35 against Dartmouth in September 2012. On Wednesday at Northwestern, the Spartans allowed 64 points to Northwestern, besting the previous record of 67 against the College of Charleston in Sept. 2012.
• MSU's win over Indiana was the 750th in program history. This is the 42nd season of varsity volleyball at MSU. MSU's next win will be the 550th in the career of MSU head coach Cathy George, who is in her 28th season as a head coach. In each of her three previous coaching positions (North Dakota State, Texas-Arlington, and Western Michigan) she won at least 85 matches, and she has nearly 200 here at Michigan State.
• MSU averages 2.67 blocks per set, good for fourth in the B1G and 27th nationally. MSU is behind B1G leader Minnesota (2.88 blocks/set), Illinois (2.86) and Nebraska (2.73). Overall, MSU's 272.5 team blocks is third in the Conference and 33rd nationally. MSU has had double-digit blocks in 11 of 176 Big Ten contests, and double-digit blocking totals in six of its last seven matches, including 13 vs. Northwestern.
• MSU's .481 hitting percentage against Indiana last Saturday was eye-popping, committing just five attacking errors in 77 chances, a season low and just the second time this season MSU has had less than 10 attacking errors.
• The Spartans have limited opponents to a .163 hitting percentage, which is second the Big Ten and ranks 34th nationally. In its last two matches, MSU limited Indiana to just 19 kills on 80 swings (-.075), and Northwestern hit just .088 (35-28-141).
• Kori Moster's current total of 2,136 career digs ranks sixth all-time in the Big Ten annals, and is eighth among active Division I players. Moster has held MSU's career digs record since her junior season, and holds three of the top seven single-season dig performances in school history. Her 468 digs this season is eighth all-time in the single-season annals; her career-best season of 602 came as a sophomore (second), and she posted 592 as a junior (third) and 474 as a freshman (seventh).
• Alyssa Garvelink has had a monster effort in her last two games. Against Indiana, she matched her previous career best with seven blocks, then came out at Northwestern with 11. She averages 1.10 blocks per set in B1G games, which ranks 12th.
• Associate Head Coach Russ Carney has announced his retirement, effective at the end of 2014. He has shared a sideline with head coach Cathy George the last 21 seasons, including the last 10 at Michigan State. Carney will be honored along with the seniors next Wednesday.
• Wednesday, Nov. 26 is Senior Night against Purdue, and your last chance to cheer on the Spartans at home this season. It will be an MSUFCU night - all credit union members receive complimentary admission; in addition, a volleyball ticket stub gets patrons free admission into the women's basketball game that night as well. Spread the word and help us send off our seniors with a packed house!
