Volleyball to Host Battle at Breslin
11/14/2024
EAST LANSING, Mich. – It's a split weekend for Michigan State volleyball who is set to host the annual Battle at Breslin against Michigan on Friday, November 15 at 6 PM before hitting the road to face Iowa at 3 PM ET on Sunday, November 17.
Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+. Fans can tune into John Kreger's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for Friday night's match.
Michigan State hockey is set to take the ice at 7 PM on Friday night, so be aware of the parking layout below.
We’ve got a B1G Battle in Breslin ????
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 11, 2024
Spartan fans we need you to show up and be loud as we face off with our inter-state rival… Let’s show the state of Michigan what Big Ten Volleyball is all about.
Go Green, Wear White! #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/qR1357JJ4y
NOTES TO KNOW
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan
- Michigan State is 56-51-1 all-time against Michigan and is 36-17 when facing the Wolverines in East Lansing.
- MSU swept the Wolverines last season, but dropped the first meeting of the 2024 season in Ann Arbor.
- The Spartans were defeated 3-0 at Michigan on Sept. 27, 2024.
Iowa
- Michigan State is 54-29 all-time against Iowa and is 24-14 when facing the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.
- MSU has won two straight over Iowa, winning 3-1 in Iowa City and 3-0 in East Lansing last season. The series is 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
- In the last meeting, MSU got 16 kills from Taylah Holdem as the Spartans hit .400 for the match. Holdem hit .419 (16-3-31) and Amani McArthur hit .778 (8-1-9).
STATE PRIDE ON THE LINE
Since 1990, MSU and Michigan have competed for the "State Pride" flag. The Spartans are the current holder of the flag after last season’s sweep of Michigan.
Michigan leads the Spartans in total “State Pride” series wins, 18-14. Michigan State has not retained the flag in back-to-back seasons since 2015.
The school that wins both matches is declared “State Pride” winner. If teams split the matches, the school that wins the greatest number of sets will be declared the “State Pride” winner. If teams split the matches and have won the same number of sets, the school with the most total points is the “State Pride” winner.
There has been only one tie in the series – in 2014, Michigan and Michigan State split the two matches with both teams earning 4-set victories and scoring 197 points.
If Michigan wins a set on Friday, they will be declared "State Pride" winners. If MSU wins in three sets, it must hold Michigan to fewer than 60 points to tie or win the series this season.
IN THE B1G RANKINGS
Nalani Iosia is #1 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.46 and ranks #1 in total digs with 410.
Iosia is #1 in B1G only matches with 4.48 digs/set on 233 total digs.
Last week Iosia ranked #2 in digs/set with 4.75 on 38 total digs.
Zuzanna Kulig ranks #3 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.44 blocks/set, only behind Purdue's Raven Colvin (1.56) and Minnesota Phoebe Awoleye (1.49).
Kulig's total blocks (127) rank second in the conference behind Colvin's 139 and is tied with Awoleye's 127, and her solo blocks (23) lead the league.
In B1G only matches Kulig ranks #3 in blocks/set with 1.40.
Kulig is #9 in the B1G in overall season hitting at .362 (132-21-276).
Last week, Kulig ranked #7 in service aces with 0.63 per set.
Michigan State led the B1G in digs last week with 131 on 16.38 digs/set. MSU was #3 in service aces per set at 2.00 (16 total).
LAST ONE, BEST ONE
Fifth-year libero Nalani Iosia saved her best for last, averaging a career-high 4.46 digs per set. Her previous career-high was 4.16 in 2023.
Iosia posted a career-best 34 digs against Ohio State on Nov. 3, the most digs by a B1G libero this season. It's the most digs by an MSU player ever in a four set match and the third-most digs in a match at MSU all time.
If the season ended today, Iosia's 4.46 digs/set would rank No. 6 in the program history book for a single season.
Iosia's 4.20 career digs/set at MSU is good for third all-time in the Green & White.
Last weekend Iosia moved into No. 5 in career digs at MSU and now has 1,360 in a Spartan jersey. Jamye Cox is No. 4 with 1,424 career digs.
Iosia ranks No. 26 in active career dig leaders among all DI players with 1,914.
Iosia is one the most experienced players in DI ranking No. 1 in matches played (145) and No. 14 in sets played (517).
Iosia entered the season ranked second in the B1G in career digs among active players with 1,504 (now 1,876).
Iosia ranked fifth in the B1G last season in digs/set at 4.16.
Iosia was an AVCA All-North Region honorable mention following the conclusion of the 2023 season, the first Spartan to earn a regional honor since 2017 and the first libero since 2014.
Iosia's 483 digs last season ranked No. 8 all-time for a single season at MSU.
Firing on all cylinders!
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 9, 2024
Behind Taylor Preston’s 17 kills and 12 digs, your Spartans also had… 11 aces, 4 players with double digit digs and Akasha Anderson hit .455 on the night! #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/fYmnrz2Ffr
KASH MONEY
Over her last eight matches junior right side hitter Akasha Anderson leads MSU with 4.10 kills/set and 4.50 points/set on .243 hitting.
Anderson has posted 12 or more kills in five of her last eight matches with a career-high tying 26 kills in a win over #16 USC and 24 kills in a four set match against Ohio State on Nov. 3.
Anderson tallied a career-best 30.5 total points against USC.
Anderson hit a whopping .455 on 33 attempts against Rutgers on Nov. 8 with 17 kills and just two errors.
KULIG AS A CUCUMBER
Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig inserted herself into the conversation as one of the best in the country.
Kulig ranks No. 14 nationally and No. 3 in the B1G in blocks per set (1.44).
Kulig's 127 total blocks rank No. 19 nationally and No. 2 in the B1G.
Kulig posted a new career-high 12 blocks against Illinois on Oct. 12, 2024.
12 blocks in a match is the fourth-most single match blocks in program history and was last accomplished by Alexis Mathews on Nov. 24, 2010 against Michigan.
Kulig's 1.44 blocks/set would rank No. 7 in program history for a single season. No Spartan has posted 1.40 blocks/set since 2016 (Alyssa Garvelink, 1.40).
Kulig's current career 1.26 blocks/set would rank No. 3 in program history.
?? flicks from last year’s Battle at Breslin
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 12, 2024
Let’s run it back again this Friday at 6 pm! And don’t forget…. Go Green and WEAR WHITE!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/FXvQczcjv5
Michigan State head volleyball coach Leah Johnson announced the third signing class of her tenure Wednesday on National Signing Day. The Spartans covered all of their bases in the Class of 2025 signing a setter, libero, middle blocker and outside hitter. MSU once again tapped into its overseas contacts with the additions of setter Kalea Norton (Auckland, New Zealand) and outside hitter Caroline Formankova (Slany, Czech Republic), in addition to domestic signees libero Olivia Durst (Brookfield, Wis.) and middle blocker Leela Ormsby (Billings, Mont.).
New Zealand ?? East Lansing
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 13, 2024
Kalea Norton is a Spartan! A true competitor, we cannot wait to see Kalea step in to the Big Ten Conference! #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/3sKo0hez2Z
A defensive burst from Durst!
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 13, 2024
No stranger to winning at the highest levels, we are so excited to get Olivia in the gym. #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/tXSbnZNquG
Montana’s all-time block record holder is officially a Spartan!
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 13, 2024
Welcome home, Leela!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/7CLrpXZNYA
Strong. Fiery. Powerful.
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 14, 2024
3 words that coach Johnson has used to describe the final piece of our 2025 Spartans puzzle!
Welcome home, Caroline!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/5PjoFHwdK9
Plenty more is happening in Breslin this month! We're excited to be back playing in front of you all! #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/z7J2xUgX14
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 31, 2024
