Wednesday, October 26
Minneapolis, Minn.
8:00 pm ET
Michigan State University
at
Minnesota
Volleyball Opens B1G Second Half at #9 Minnesota, Michigan
10/25/2022 11:34:00 AM | Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball returns to the court this week, opening the second half of B1G competition with a Wednesday, Oct. 26 mid-week match at No. 9-ranked Minnesota before wrapping up the season slate of rivalry matches against Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 30. The Spartans wrap up a stretch of three matches in six days when it meets the Golden Gophers on Wednesday night in Maturi Pavilion. Michigan State football isn't the only team on campus headed to Ann Arbor this weekend as the volleyball program looks to even the season series on Sunday afternoon.
About Minnesota
Minnesota is 12-6 overall (7-4 at home) and 7-3 in the Big Ten this season. The Golden Gophers are coached by Hugh McCutcheon in his 11th season at the helm. McCutcheon recently announced that this will be his final season in Minneapolis, currently holding a 266-71 career collegiate coaching record. Minnesota ranks No. 9 in the latest NCAA RPI and No. 9 in the KPI.
Taylor Landfair is among the top hitters in the country averaging 4.55 kills per set on .255 hitting. Landfair has a strong all-around game with 43 blocks and 106 digs on the season. Nationally, Landfair ranks No. 12 in kills per set, No. 13 in points per set (5.09) and No. 25 in attacks per set (11.48). Melani Shaffmaster handles the setting duties for Minnesota averaging 10.54 assists per set, ranking second in the Big Ten and No. 31 in Division I.
Four Golden Gophers have over 100 digs this season, led by CC McGraw's 198 on 3.05 digs per set. Carter Booth leads the No. 6 blocking team in the country with 66 total on 1.29 blocks per set. Booth's blocks per set rank No. 31 nationally and No. 7 in the B1G. Middle blocker Naya Gros is a Michigan State graduate having played four years for the Spartans from 2018-2021. Gros finished her MSU career #6 in total blocks with 464.
About Michigan
Michigan is 13-7 overall (5-5 at home) and 4-6 in B1G play this season. The Wolverines have lost three straight as the second half of conference play gets underway. Michigan is coached by Mark Rosen in his 24th season in Ann Arbor and 31st season as a head coach overall. Rosen is 673-330 overall and 464-293 with the Wolverines. Michigan dropped out of the AVCA Top 25 this week, but are still among the teams receiving votes, ranking No. 33 in the latest NCAA RPI and No. 31 in the KPI.
Jess Mruzik leads the Wolverine hitters with 3.64 kills per set on .234 hitting. Mruzik ranks seventh in the Big Ten in kills per set, points per set and attack per set. May Pertofsky is playing well for the Wolverines as of late averaging 2.14 kills per set for the season, but 2.46 in B1G play to rank second on the team. Pertofsky has hit .356 in 10 B1G matches. Maddie Dowd and Scottee Johnson share the setting duties for Michigan, with Dowd leading the team at 6.78 assists per set to Johnson's 5.52.
Jess Robinson is hitting a DI-leading .480 in the middle for the Wolverines averaging 2.42 kills per set. Robinson averages 1.06 blocks per set and has 73 total blocks to her name this season. Jacque Boney has posted 1.03 blocks per set with 71 blocks to her name. Hannah Grant leads the team in digs averaging 4.06 digs per set. Mruzik is second on the team in digs averaging 2.29 per set.
About the Spartans
Michigan State is 10-11 this season with a 1-9 mark in Big Ten play. MSU is coached by Leah Johnson in her first year with the program. Johnson arrived in East Lansing in February and is in her 12th year as a head coach overall. Through 12 seasons, Johnson has amassed a career record of 194-162.
Sophomore Aliyah Moore leads the Spartans with 3.01 points per set and 2.80 kills per set, hitting .169 in her first season at MSU. Moore leads the team with 224 kills. Freshman Maradith O'Gorman is second on the team in kills per set at 2.48 and ties Moore for the team lead in points per set a 3.01, hitting .203. A player on the rise for Michigan State is freshman Selin Aslayan who has drawn four consecutive starts on the outside. Aslayan is hitting .199 this season and has averaged 2.06 kills per set in her last four matches. Graduate student Zoe Nunez handles the setting for Michigan State since returning to the lineup, averaging 8.07 assists per set with 484 assists this season.
Junior Nalani Iosia leads the team in digs at 3.73 per set. Nunez is second on the team in digs averaging 2.12 per set and has posted double-doubles in each of her last two matches. Freshman Nil Okur leads the team with 64 total blocks this season on .90 blocks per set. Okur has been strong on the offensive side as well hitting .322 on 1.45 kills per set. Fifth year Rebecka Poljan leads the team with a .375 hitting percentage on 2.37 kills and .88 blocks per set.
Michigan State is 19-60 all-time against the Golden Gophers with Minnesota having won seven straight. The Spartans are 7-30 when playing in Minneapolis and last defeated Minnesota on the road on Sep. 24, 2017, a 3-0 sweep. MSU owns a 54-49-1 series advantage over the Wolverines but have lost in nine consecutive appearances. The Spartans are 15-27 when playing in Ann Arbor. MSU's last win on the road at Michigan came on Nov. 27, 2013, a 3-0 sweep.
Up Next
Next week Michigan State begins a stretch of four consecutive home matches to open the month of November. The Spartans will host Alumni Weekend matches on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 when the team welcomes No. 12-ranked Purdue and No. 6-ranked Ohio State to East Lansing. Friday's first serve against the Boilermakers is set for 6:00 p.m. with the match being broadcast nationally on the linear Big Ten Network. Saturday's match time against Ohio State is TBA.
Follow Along Live
Wednesday, Oct. 26: Michigan State at #9 Minnesota | 8:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Watch Live | Listen
Sunday, Oct. 30: Michigan State at Michigan | 2:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch Live | Listen
Wednesday, Oct. 26: Michigan State at #9 Minnesota | 8:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats | Watch Live | Listen
Sunday, Oct. 30: Michigan State at Michigan | 2:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch Live | Listen
About Minnesota
Minnesota is 12-6 overall (7-4 at home) and 7-3 in the Big Ten this season. The Golden Gophers are coached by Hugh McCutcheon in his 11th season at the helm. McCutcheon recently announced that this will be his final season in Minneapolis, currently holding a 266-71 career collegiate coaching record. Minnesota ranks No. 9 in the latest NCAA RPI and No. 9 in the KPI.
Taylor Landfair is among the top hitters in the country averaging 4.55 kills per set on .255 hitting. Landfair has a strong all-around game with 43 blocks and 106 digs on the season. Nationally, Landfair ranks No. 12 in kills per set, No. 13 in points per set (5.09) and No. 25 in attacks per set (11.48). Melani Shaffmaster handles the setting duties for Minnesota averaging 10.54 assists per set, ranking second in the Big Ten and No. 31 in Division I.
Four Golden Gophers have over 100 digs this season, led by CC McGraw's 198 on 3.05 digs per set. Carter Booth leads the No. 6 blocking team in the country with 66 total on 1.29 blocks per set. Booth's blocks per set rank No. 31 nationally and No. 7 in the B1G. Middle blocker Naya Gros is a Michigan State graduate having played four years for the Spartans from 2018-2021. Gros finished her MSU career #6 in total blocks with 464.
About Michigan
Michigan is 13-7 overall (5-5 at home) and 4-6 in B1G play this season. The Wolverines have lost three straight as the second half of conference play gets underway. Michigan is coached by Mark Rosen in his 24th season in Ann Arbor and 31st season as a head coach overall. Rosen is 673-330 overall and 464-293 with the Wolverines. Michigan dropped out of the AVCA Top 25 this week, but are still among the teams receiving votes, ranking No. 33 in the latest NCAA RPI and No. 31 in the KPI.
Jess Mruzik leads the Wolverine hitters with 3.64 kills per set on .234 hitting. Mruzik ranks seventh in the Big Ten in kills per set, points per set and attack per set. May Pertofsky is playing well for the Wolverines as of late averaging 2.14 kills per set for the season, but 2.46 in B1G play to rank second on the team. Pertofsky has hit .356 in 10 B1G matches. Maddie Dowd and Scottee Johnson share the setting duties for Michigan, with Dowd leading the team at 6.78 assists per set to Johnson's 5.52.
Jess Robinson is hitting a DI-leading .480 in the middle for the Wolverines averaging 2.42 kills per set. Robinson averages 1.06 blocks per set and has 73 total blocks to her name this season. Jacque Boney has posted 1.03 blocks per set with 71 blocks to her name. Hannah Grant leads the team in digs averaging 4.06 digs per set. Mruzik is second on the team in digs averaging 2.29 per set.
About the Spartans
Michigan State is 10-11 this season with a 1-9 mark in Big Ten play. MSU is coached by Leah Johnson in her first year with the program. Johnson arrived in East Lansing in February and is in her 12th year as a head coach overall. Through 12 seasons, Johnson has amassed a career record of 194-162.
Sophomore Aliyah Moore leads the Spartans with 3.01 points per set and 2.80 kills per set, hitting .169 in her first season at MSU. Moore leads the team with 224 kills. Freshman Maradith O'Gorman is second on the team in kills per set at 2.48 and ties Moore for the team lead in points per set a 3.01, hitting .203. A player on the rise for Michigan State is freshman Selin Aslayan who has drawn four consecutive starts on the outside. Aslayan is hitting .199 this season and has averaged 2.06 kills per set in her last four matches. Graduate student Zoe Nunez handles the setting for Michigan State since returning to the lineup, averaging 8.07 assists per set with 484 assists this season.
Junior Nalani Iosia leads the team in digs at 3.73 per set. Nunez is second on the team in digs averaging 2.12 per set and has posted double-doubles in each of her last two matches. Freshman Nil Okur leads the team with 64 total blocks this season on .90 blocks per set. Okur has been strong on the offensive side as well hitting .322 on 1.45 kills per set. Fifth year Rebecka Poljan leads the team with a .375 hitting percentage on 2.37 kills and .88 blocks per set.
Michigan State is 19-60 all-time against the Golden Gophers with Minnesota having won seven straight. The Spartans are 7-30 when playing in Minneapolis and last defeated Minnesota on the road on Sep. 24, 2017, a 3-0 sweep. MSU owns a 54-49-1 series advantage over the Wolverines but have lost in nine consecutive appearances. The Spartans are 15-27 when playing in Ann Arbor. MSU's last win on the road at Michigan came on Nov. 27, 2013, a 3-0 sweep.
Up Next
Next week Michigan State begins a stretch of four consecutive home matches to open the month of November. The Spartans will host Alumni Weekend matches on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 when the team welcomes No. 12-ranked Purdue and No. 6-ranked Ohio State to East Lansing. Friday's first serve against the Boilermakers is set for 6:00 p.m. with the match being broadcast nationally on the linear Big Ten Network. Saturday's match time against Ohio State is TBA.
Players Mentioned
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