
Photo by: Brittney Kimball
Volleyball Upends Binghamton, Sweeps Dog Pound Challenge
9/17/2023 4:00:00 PM | Volleyball
STORRS, Conn. – The Michigan State volleyball program earned the 2023 Dog Pound Challenge crown on Sunday afternoon defeating Binghamton, 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-15, 25-19), from the UConn Volleyball Center.
MSU wraps up the non-conference portion of its schedule with an overall record of 8-3 heading into Big Ten Conference play next weekend. Michigan State has now won eight of its last nine matches, as it takes momentum into conference action.
Fifth-year, transfer middle blocker Amani McArthur turned in her best performance as a Spartan terminating a season-high 14 kills, one off her career-high. McArthur also led with a team-high four blocks (two solo, two assisted).
A variety of MSU players contributed in the kill department on Sunday, with five other Spartans recording five or more kills including freshman Karolina Staniszewska (9), junior Aliyah Moore (8), freshman Taylah Holdem (7), junior Grace Kelly (6) and junior Julia Bishop (5).
Bishop led the team in assists with 22 and was joined by freshman Cameron Berger's 18. Senior Nalani Iosia had a match-high nine digs, with Staniszewska and Holdem each adding eight.
McArthur was named Most Valuable Player of the weekend, finishing with 20 kills on 33 swings (hitting .545) and 14 blocks (four solo, 10 assisted). Outside hitters Kelly and Moore joined McArthur in being named to the All-Tournament Team following Sunday's match. Kelly was steady all weekend long hitting .371 with 30 kills. Moore hit .433 with 34 kills over the weekend, including a career-high 25 kills against Brown on Saturday, and was second on the team in blocks with nine.
Michigan State out-hit Binghamton .289 to .154 and posted a .393 hitting percentage in the match-winning fourth set. MSU out-dug the Bearcats, 49-36, and had 10 service aces to Binghamton's six. Both sides finished the match with six blocks, while MSU held a .653 to .474 side-out percentage advantage.
The Spartans led early and often in set one, using an 11-1 run mid-way through the frame to open things up after Binghamton cut the MSU lead down to two at 11-9. Michigan State's run was highlighted by back-to-back-to-back aces by Iosia, allowing the Spartans to mount a 22-10 advantage.
Michigan State trailed Binghamton early in set two before going ahead for the fist time in the frame at 10-9. MSU's lead was part of a 6-1 run that saw the Spartans take a 13-10 advantage after a series of Bearcat errors. With MSU maintaining a three-point advantage heading into the late stages of the set, Binghamton would use a 6-2 run to take a 20-19 lead and force a Michigan State timeout. The Spartans used kills from McArthur, Moore and Holdem to re-take a 23-22 advantage, but Binghamton closed out set two on a 3-0 run to steal it.
Both sides went back-and-forth to open the third set before a 6-1 Spartan run forced a Bearcat timeout. Bishop found soft spots in the Binghamton defense on back-to-back points to swing momentum towards MSU. Leading 16-13, Michigan State closed the third set out on a 9-2 run that featured back-to-back aces by Holdem and a trio of kills from Staniszewska.
Binghamton held a 13-11 edge over the Spartans in the fourth set, but a 7-0 run put MSU ahead at 18-13 following a Bearcat timeout. McArthur had five of her 14 kills in the frame, including three in the late stages to help seal the match for Michigan State. Staniszewska also had three late kills in the clutch for MSU, including the match-winner.
UP NEXT
Michigan State opens B1G play next weekend, first traveling down the road to Ann Arbor for a 7:00 p.m. match on Friday, September 22 at the Crisler Center. The Spartans will then fly out to Champaign, Illinois to meet the Illini at 1:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 24. Michigan is currently 2-6 overall and is set to play Bowling Green prior to meeting the Spartans. Illinois goes into next week with a record of 5-5.
MSU wraps up the non-conference portion of its schedule with an overall record of 8-3 heading into Big Ten Conference play next weekend. Michigan State has now won eight of its last nine matches, as it takes momentum into conference action.
Fifth-year, transfer middle blocker Amani McArthur turned in her best performance as a Spartan terminating a season-high 14 kills, one off her career-high. McArthur also led with a team-high four blocks (two solo, two assisted).
A variety of MSU players contributed in the kill department on Sunday, with five other Spartans recording five or more kills including freshman Karolina Staniszewska (9), junior Aliyah Moore (8), freshman Taylah Holdem (7), junior Grace Kelly (6) and junior Julia Bishop (5).
Bishop led the team in assists with 22 and was joined by freshman Cameron Berger's 18. Senior Nalani Iosia had a match-high nine digs, with Staniszewska and Holdem each adding eight.
McArthur was named Most Valuable Player of the weekend, finishing with 20 kills on 33 swings (hitting .545) and 14 blocks (four solo, 10 assisted). Outside hitters Kelly and Moore joined McArthur in being named to the All-Tournament Team following Sunday's match. Kelly was steady all weekend long hitting .371 with 30 kills. Moore hit .433 with 34 kills over the weekend, including a career-high 25 kills against Brown on Saturday, and was second on the team in blocks with nine.
Michigan State out-hit Binghamton .289 to .154 and posted a .393 hitting percentage in the match-winning fourth set. MSU out-dug the Bearcats, 49-36, and had 10 service aces to Binghamton's six. Both sides finished the match with six blocks, while MSU held a .653 to .474 side-out percentage advantage.
The Spartans led early and often in set one, using an 11-1 run mid-way through the frame to open things up after Binghamton cut the MSU lead down to two at 11-9. Michigan State's run was highlighted by back-to-back-to-back aces by Iosia, allowing the Spartans to mount a 22-10 advantage.
Michigan State trailed Binghamton early in set two before going ahead for the fist time in the frame at 10-9. MSU's lead was part of a 6-1 run that saw the Spartans take a 13-10 advantage after a series of Bearcat errors. With MSU maintaining a three-point advantage heading into the late stages of the set, Binghamton would use a 6-2 run to take a 20-19 lead and force a Michigan State timeout. The Spartans used kills from McArthur, Moore and Holdem to re-take a 23-22 advantage, but Binghamton closed out set two on a 3-0 run to steal it.
Both sides went back-and-forth to open the third set before a 6-1 Spartan run forced a Bearcat timeout. Bishop found soft spots in the Binghamton defense on back-to-back points to swing momentum towards MSU. Leading 16-13, Michigan State closed the third set out on a 9-2 run that featured back-to-back aces by Holdem and a trio of kills from Staniszewska.
Binghamton held a 13-11 edge over the Spartans in the fourth set, but a 7-0 run put MSU ahead at 18-13 following a Bearcat timeout. McArthur had five of her 14 kills in the frame, including three in the late stages to help seal the match for Michigan State. Staniszewska also had three late kills in the clutch for MSU, including the match-winner.
UP NEXT
Michigan State opens B1G play next weekend, first traveling down the road to Ann Arbor for a 7:00 p.m. match on Friday, September 22 at the Crisler Center. The Spartans will then fly out to Champaign, Illinois to meet the Illini at 1:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 24. Michigan is currently 2-6 overall and is set to play Bowling Green prior to meeting the Spartans. Illinois goes into next week with a record of 5-5.
Team Stats
MSU
Bingha
Kills
55
32
Errors
20
16
Attempts
121
104
Hitting %
.289
.154
Points
71.0
44.0
Assists
50
27
Aces
10
6
Blocks
6
6
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Players Mentioned
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