Volleyball to Host Michigan in Battle at Breslin
10/16/2023
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State volleyball returns to the Breslin Center on Wednesday night when University of Michigan comes to town for a 6:00 p.m. contest. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to ensure they receive a Battle at Breslin t-shirt while supplies last.
Wednesday night's match will be broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network with Sloane Martin (play-by-play) and Michigan State volleyball alum Elena Shklyar '21 (analyst) calling the action. Fans can also listen in live via the Spartan Media Network on MSUSpartans.com, where the voice of Spartan volleyball, John Kreger, will provide commentary.
WHO'S UP NEXT?
Follow along live with the Spartans this weekend
NOTES TO KNOW
ABOUT MICHIGAN
Michigan enters the weekend with a 3-14 overall record and a 1-7 mark in B1G play. The Wolverines earned their long conference win over Northwestern on Oct. 6 by a score of 3-1. Head Coach Erin Virtue is back with the Wolverines after traveling overseas with USA volleyball as an assistant coach while the team opened B1G action.
Michigan ranks No. 41 nationally in aces per set (1.81), No. 283 in hitting percentage (.162), No. 309 in opponent hitting percentage (.249), No. 275 in assists per set (10.46), No. 248 in blocks per set (1.77), No. 198 in digs per set (13.76) and No. 270 in kills per set (11.42).
Kendall Murray leads the Wolverines in kills with 148, hitting .134 on the season. Jacque Boney is second on the team in kills with 124, hitting a team-best .305 and leading Michigan in blocks with 43 (seven solo, 36 assisted).
Scottee Johnson leads in assists with 413, averaging 7.38 assists per set. Johnson is second on the team in digs with 139 (2.48 digs/set). Morgan Burke also saw time at setter last weekend and has 111 assists (4.83 assists/set) this season. Brooke Humphrey leads Michigan in digs with 152 on 2.58 digs/set.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan
- Michigan State is 55-50-1 against Michigan all-time and owns a 35-17 record against the Wolverines when playing in East Lansing.
- MSU is looking to win the season series against Michigan for the first time since 2015 when it won via total sets taken (5-3).
- The Spartans took down Michigan to open B1G play in 2023, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-22), from the Crisler Center. Taylah Holdem had a match-high 19 kills, hitting .417 with four service aces. Nalani Iosia had 14 digs and both Julia Bishop and Cameron Berger posted 14 assists.
LOOKING AHEAD
Michigan State will also play on Sunday, Oct. 22 when they travel to Minneapolis, Minn. to meet Minnesota.
- Michigan State is 19-61 against Minnesota all-time and 7-31 when playing in Minneapolis.
- Minnesota has won eight straight against the Spartans and nine of the last 10.
- Michigan State last defeated Minnesota on Sept. 24, 2017 when MSU swept the then No. 1 ranked Golden Gophers on the road (25-18, 25-23, 25-22). Brooke Kranda led all players with 15 kills and Autumn Bailey added 14 kills along with 13 digs. Rachel Minarick tallied 43 assists and 10 digs. Holly Tolliver added 10 kills and three aces. MSU out-hit Minnesota .282 to .208.
- Michigan State assistant coach Maddie Beal played for the Golden Gophers from 2014-2017, playing in 52 career matches.
Who’s ready to battle?!
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 16, 2023
Join us this Wednesday for the annual Battle at Breslin and pick up your free shirt at the gate while supplies last! #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/iilhhRUe3d
LAST WEEK IN SPARTAN VOLLEYBALL
- Michigan State split its fourth weekend of B1G play, dropping a match at No. 2 Nebraska (3-1) and defeating Iowa on the road (3-1).
- MSU improves to 4-4 in B1G action and matches its conference win total from a season ago with 12 matches remaining.
- The Spartans took the second set from Nebraska in Lincoln on Friday (12-25, 25-19, 22-25, 15-25) and held Nebraska to .000 hitting or worse in a set for the second time this season. MSU is the only team on Nebraska's schedule to do that twice.
- Amani McArthur was efficient in the middle hitting .333 with 1.13 blocks per set over the course of the weekend.
LAST WEEK IN SPARTAN VOLLEYBALL
- Michigan State responded to the loss with a win at Iowa on Saturday night, dropping set one but winning the next three (23- 25, 25-13, 30-28, 25-23).
- MSU hit an impressive .483 in the second set, while holding Iowa to .045 hitting in the frame. The Spartans out-hit Iowa .259 to .151 overall.
- Taylah Holdem led Michigan State with 22 kills and posted her fifth double-double with 12 digs. Grace Kelly had 19 kills and set a new career-high in digs with eight.
- Nalani Iosia tied her career-high in digs with 27 for the second time this season and Rachel Muisenga had a new career-best in assists tallying 23.
We hope to see you all in the Breslin Center on Wednesday night!
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 16, 2023
Make sure to pick up your Battle at Breslin t-shirt at the gate before heading to your seat ????
We'll be wearing white, you should too!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/L55g1nWiKT
HOLDEM AMONG BEST IN B1G
- In B1G play, Holdem ranks No. 8 in kills per set (3.82) and No. 8 in points per set (4.28).
- Holdem leads all B1G freshmen hitters in points per set (4.28) and kills per set (3.82) in her first eight conference matches.
- Holdem ranks No. 9 in the B1G in kills per set (3.48) and No. 10 in points per set (3.91) in the season-long leaderboard.
- Holdem had a season-high and career-best 25 kills against Northwestern on 9/29, the most single match kills by an MSU freshman since 1998 (Erin Hartley, 28).
- Holdem has double-doubles in five of her last seven matches dating back to Illinois (9/24) and had a career-high 14 digs against Northwestern on 9/29. Holdem missed a fifth consecutive double-double by just one kill on 10/7 against Northwestern.
- If the season ended today, Holdem's 3.48 kills per set would rank third all-time by an MSU freshman behind Veronica Morales (5.06) and Jenna Wrobel (4.59).
GRACK ATTACK
- Junior outside hitter Grace Kelly, known as Grack among her coaches and teammates, has been a breakout performer for the Spartans this season.
- Kelly ranks second on the team in kills (157), averaging 2.57 kills per set on .222 hitting. She made her first career start in MSU's match against Northwestern on Sept. 29, 2023.
- Against Northwestern on Oct. 7, Kelly set a new career-high in kills with 20. It's the third time this season that Kelly has set a new career record for kills in a match.
- Kelly saw action in just eight matches as a sophomore.
We’re back in Breslin during the month of October. Don’t miss out on amazing volleyball and some pretty cool promotions ??#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/Jau8G6iGPh
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) September 25, 2023
