Volleyball to Face UNC/Duke in ACC/B1G Challenge

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball is headed to North Carolina this weekend for the ACC/B1G Challenge, facing North Carolina on Friday, Sep. 9 at 6:00 p.m. and Duke at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sep. 10.

Both matches will be televised on the ACC Network. Paul Sunderland (PxP) and Holly McPeak (Analyst) are on the call for Friday night's match while Chris Edwards (PxP) and Brittany Hoyt (Analyst) have the call on Saturday. John Kreger will broadcast both matches for the Spartans on the Spartan Media Network. Access to Kreger's radio broadcasts can be found on MSUSpartans.com.

THE OPPONENTS

North Carolina is 4-2 on the season, winning three straight heading into Friday with wins over South Carolina (3-0), Arizona (3-2) and Charlotte (3-1). The Tar Heels are coached by Joe Sagula in his 33rd season/42nd overall, owning a 649-374 record at UNC and a 852-497 career record. Sagula is No. 3 in wins among active DI head coaches behind Mary Wise (Florida) and Chris Poole (Florida St.).

Outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster leads the UNC attack with 4.34 points per set, adding 4.09 kills per set on .219 hitting. Shaffmaster leads the team in digs with 55 and digs per set (2.50). Joining her is Charley Niego averaging 3.45 kills per set on .232 hitting. Middle Kaya Merkler leads the team in blocking with 19 total blocks on .86 blocks per set. Anita Babic sets for the Tar Heels averaging 8.25 assists per set after opening the season sharing time with Ella Bostic.

Duke is 5-2 this season, having won five consecutive matches after starting the season 0-2. The Blue Devils have defeated Rider (3-1), ETSU (3-1), Northeastern (3-1), East Carolina (3-0) and Elon (3-1) over that stretch of matches. Duke is coached by Jolene Nagel in her 24th season/35th overall. Nagel is No. 13 in active wins among DI head coaches with a career record of 672-384 and a 469-244 record at Duke.

Duke ranks near the top of Division I in several statistics early in the season, ranking No. 3 in total aces (65), No. 5 in total assists (340), No. 9 in total kills (359) and No. 10 in aces per set (2.41).

Gracie Johnson is the catalyst behind those ace numbers, ranking No. 2 nationally with 23 aces and No. 6 with 0.85 aces per set. Johnson is also No. 4 in points (142), No. 15 in points per set (5.26) and No. 8 in kills (114), while her kills per set (4.22) ranks No. 36. Devon Chang is No. 4 in Division I with 277 total assists averaging 10.65 assists per set. Middle Rylie Kadel leads the team with 28 total blocks (3 solo/25 assist) on 1.12 blocks per set. Kadel is joined by Lizzie Fleming with 26 total blocks (1 solo/25 assist) on .96 blocks per set.

MICHIGAN STATE NOTES

Michigan State is off to its best start since 2012, sitting at 6-0 through the first two weeks of competition. The Spartans went 3-0 at Navy's Kristen Dickmann Invitational, defeating UAlbany (3-0), Navy (3-1) and VCU (3-2).

Graduate student Rebecka Poljan was named tournament MVP of the Kristen Dickmann Invitational, while freshmen Evie Doezema and Maradith O'Gorman were named to the All-Tournament Team. Poljan led all Spartans over the weekend with 29 kills, hitting .478 on (29-7-46). Poljan added 11 total blocks to her weekend tally. Doezema and O'Gorman each finished the weekend with 28 kills. O'Gorman hit the best of MSU's outsides, hitting .339 over three matches.

Michigan State's 17 service aces against Navy on Friday, Sep. 2 are the most aces in a match against a Division I opponent since the Spartans had 17 against Kentucky on Sep. 2, 1983. Exactly 39 years to the date.

Graduate student Zoe Nunez led the team with 64 assists while sophomore Julia Bishop added 44. Nunez and freshman Jayhlin Swain each had eight services aces over the weekend. Freshman Nil Okur led the team in blocking with 14 total blocks, including eight against Navy. Michigan State ran a 6-2 rotation for its matches against Navy and VCU last weekend after running a 5-1 in all previous matches. Graduate student Zoe Nunez and sophomore Julia Bishop saw time at setter for the Spartans.

Michigan State ranks No. 15 nationally in service aces (52), No. 24 in total assists (309) and No. 25 in total kills (331). The Spartans lead all Big Ten schools in those categories.

A pair of career bests were broken last weekend at the Kristen Dickmann Invitational. Nalani Iosia has a new career-high in digs (26) after reaching that mark against VCU. Grace Kelly's three kills against VCU also mark a career best.

Michigan State rounds out its non-conference schedule next weekend hosting the Green & White Classic. The Spartan will play host to Oakland, Chicago State and Evansville.

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Players Mentioned

Julia Bishop

Evie Doezema

Nalani Iosia

Grace Kelly

Zoe Nunez

Maradith O'Gorman

Nil Okur

Rebecka Poljan

Jayhlin Swain