Michigan State Wraps Home Stand Against Illinois, Northwestern

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball concludes a four-game home stand this weekend when it welcomes Illinois and Northwestern to the Breslin Student Events Center. The Spartans open the weekend against Illinois at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11 before turning around to play the (RV) Northwestern Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 12. It's the second straight week of Friday/Saturday back-to-back's for MSU. Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+, with John Kreger calling the match on the Spartan Radio Network.

National Signing Day was Wednesday across the Division I volleyball landscape and the Spartans were active participants, adding five student-athletes to the roster in advance of the 2023 season. Joining the team as freshmen next season will be Cameron Berger (Setter/Eden Prairie, Minn.), Makya Clayton (DS/Lee's Summit, Mo.), Zuzanna Kulig (Middle Blocker/Chrzanów, Poland), Karolina Staniszewska (Outside Hitter/Marki, Poland) and Taylah Holdem (Outside Hitter/Christchurch, New Zealand).

Berger was recently named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Second Team High School All-American this week in addition to earning AVCA All-Region honors. Clayton was named to the AVCA All-America Watch List for 2022 and was named to the AVCA Phenom list in 2020 and 2021. Kulig and Staniszewska are teammates in Poland playing for Stal Mielec in the Polish 1 Liga. Staniszewska was named the best outside hitter at the 2022 U19 European Championships and was the best scorer and receiver at the 2022 U19 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival. Holdem is skilled in the sand and on the court, having played at the U19 Beach World Championships in 2022 and was selected to play in New Zealand's National Volleyball League of which the top 12 players nationally were selected.

ABOUT ILLINOIS
Illinois is 11-13 this season with a 6-8 record in the Big Ten and a 5-6 record when playing on the road. The Fighting Illini dropped both of its matches last weekend but own a ranked win over then No. 11-ranked Penn State this season. Illinois is coached by Chris Tamas in his sixth season as head coach, bringing a 111-65 career record into the weekend. The Illini are No. 72 in the latest NCAA RPI.

As a team Illinois ranks No. 112 in hitting percentage (.223) and No. 206 in opponents hitting percentage (.213) among Division I programs.

Outside hitter Raina Terry leads the Illini attack average 4.13 kills per set on .238 hitting this season. Terry's kills per set rank No. 34 nationally and No. 4 in the Big Ten, while her 4.85 points per set rank No. 23 nationally and No. 3 in the B1G. Terry also leads the team in aces with 36 this season. Outside hitter Kayla Burbage is second in the team in kills per set at 2.27 hitting .181 for Illinois.

Diana Brown is the setter in Illinois' system with 907 assists to her name this season on 10.31 assists per game. Brown's assists per set rank No. 45 nationally and No. 4 in the B1G.

Defensively Caroline Barnes leads Illinois with 314 digs on 3.57 digs per set this season. Brown is second on the team in digs with 223 on 2.53 per set. Middle blocker Rylee Hinton leads the team with 72 total blocks on 1.33 blocks per set.

Illinois leads the all-time series against Michigan State, 54-27, and are 24-13 against the Spartans when playing in East Lansing. The two sides have traded win streaks as of late, with Illinois having won four consecutive matches against the Spartans after MSU won three-straight in 2016 and 2017.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern is enjoying a strong season, sitting at 17-9 with a 6-8 mark in Big Ten play as the conference season nears its close. The Wildcats are coached by Shane Davis in his seventh season at the helm, with Northwestern having locked in its first winning season during his tenure. Davis brings an 87-108 career record into the weekend along with his upstart Northwestern team. The Wildcats are No. 29 in the latest NCAA RPI and are receiving votes in the AVCA poll.

As a team, Northwestern ranks No. 24 in assists per set (12.95), No. 33 in kills per set (13.80), No. 56 in hitting percentage (.249) and No. 203 in opponent hitting percentage (.211).

Outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara leads the Wildcat attack with 4.27 kills per set on .264 hitting and 4.60 points per set. Thomas-Ailara ranks No. 22 nationally in kills per set and No. 3 in the B1G, while ranking No. 18 in total kills (401) and No. 41 in points per set. Outside hitter Hanna Lesiak is second on the team in kills per set (2.79) while hitting .168.

Setters Alexa Rousseau and Sienna Noordermeer have each seen time in the Wildcat lineup this season. Rossoueau has been out with injury since Oct. 9 and Noordermeer was injured in Northwestern's last match against Nebraska. Grace Reininga set the remainder of the Nebraska match. Rossoueau and Noordermeer each averaged over 10 assists per set when in the lineup.

Libero Megan Miller leads the team with 4.17 digs per set with 392 total digs. Millers digs per set rank No. 4 in the B1G while her total digs lead the conference. Defensive specialist Ellee Stinson is second on the team in digs with 2.65 per set (249 total). Middle blocker Desiree Becker leads the team with 98 total blocks on 1.11 blocks per set.

Michigan State leads the all-time series against the Wildcats, 41-37, with a 23-13 mark when playing in East Lansing. Northwestern won the last meeting of the two teams, 3-2, in Jenison Field House on Nov. 27, 2021.

UP NEXT
Michigan State hits the road for its final road trip of the season next weekend, seeking rematches against Illinois and Northwestern. The Spartans first travel to Champaign, Illinois to meet the Illini at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 18. After a travel day on Saturday, Michigan State is set to play Northwestern at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 20.

Michigan State Wraps Home Stand Against Illinois, Northwestern

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