EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball is back in action this weekend for it's final two matches of the non-conference schedule. The Spartans are slated to face Duke at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 20 before meeting North Carolina at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 22. It's the third consecutive season that MSU has squared off with ACC foes Duke and UNC.
Both matches will stream on ACC Network Extra via the ESPN+ platform. Subscription to ACC Network is required. Fans can also listen in live through MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app where John Kreger will call the matches in his 20th season of MSU volleyball coverage.
Michigan State will take on a Duke team inside Cameron Indoor Arena that ranks No. 146 in hitting percentage (.214), No. 301 in opponent hitting percentage (.248), No. 116 in kills per set (12.81), No. 93 in assists per set (12.00), No. 189 in blocks per set (1.97) and No. 184 in digs per set (13.97).
Middle blocker Rylie Kadel ranks No. 40 nationally in hitting percentage (.400) and is No. 77 in total blocks to date with 39. All-ACC outside hitter Kerry Keefe leads the Blue Devils in points per set (3.53) and kills per set (2.94). Grace Penn's 250 assists are a team best along with her 7.58 assists per set.
Libero Mailinh Godschall leads Duke with 140 digs on 4.38 digs per set. Kadel's 1.18 blocks per set a a team high, followed by Breonna Goss at 0.73 blocks/set.
UNC ranks among the best in the country in several statistical categories, including being No. 4 in assists per set (13.74), No. 4 in kills per set (14.61), No. 5 in opponent hitting percentage (.118) and No. 23 in blocks per set (2.74).
Outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster is one of the best servers in the country ranking No. 8 in aces per set (.70), recording 16 aces in 23 sets played. Shaffmaster is the sister of Minnesota setter Melani Shaffmaster and is an All-ACC first teamer. Her 4.89 points per set and 4.00 kills per set also lead the Tar Heels on .329 hitting. Safi Hampton is second in points per set (3.85) and kills per set (3.06). Zoe Behrendt (6.65 assists/set) and Taylor Eisert (4.91 assists/set) split the setting duties.
Libero Maddy May paces UNC defensively with 4.22 digs/set. Middle blockers Alexis Engelbrecht (1.33 blocks/set) and Jackie Taylor (1.17 blocks/set) each average over a block per set, while outside hitter Emani' Foster is close at 0.86 per.
- Michigan State is 3-3 all-time against Duke dating back to 1997 and have faced the Blue Devils in each of the last two seasons.
- MSU has lost two-straight to Duke, falling 3-0 in 2023 and 3-2 in 2022. The Spartans are 1-1 when facing Duke on the road, lasting winning in Durham on Sept. 19, 2015 by a final score of 3-0 against a Duke team that was receiving votes.
North Carolina
- Michigan State is 6-3 against UNC all-time dating back to 1988. Like Duke, MSU has taken on North Carolina in each of the last two seasons.
- The Spartans last defeated North Carolina on Sept. 10, 2023, winning 3-1 at the Breslin Center. MSU is 2-1 when facing the Tar Heels on the road, last winning in Chapel Hill on Sept. 1, 2018 by a final score of 3-1.
Both matches will stream on ACC Network Extra via the ESPN+ platform. Subscription to ACC Network is required. Fans can also listen in live through MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app where John Kreger will call the matches in his 20th season of MSU volleyball coverage.
ABOUT DUKE
Duke enters Friday night's match with a 4-5 record, going 1-2 last weekend at Penn State with a victory over Princeton (3-2) and losses to No. 3-ranked Penn State (3-0) and St. John's (3-1). The Blue Devils are coached by Jolene Nagel in her 37th season (26th at Duke), whose 706 career victories rank eight among active NCAA DI head coaches.Michigan State will take on a Duke team inside Cameron Indoor Arena that ranks No. 146 in hitting percentage (.214), No. 301 in opponent hitting percentage (.248), No. 116 in kills per set (12.81), No. 93 in assists per set (12.00), No. 189 in blocks per set (1.97) and No. 184 in digs per set (13.97).
Middle blocker Rylie Kadel ranks No. 40 nationally in hitting percentage (.400) and is No. 77 in total blocks to date with 39. All-ACC outside hitter Kerry Keefe leads the Blue Devils in points per set (3.53) and kills per set (2.94). Grace Penn's 250 assists are a team best along with her 7.58 assists per set.
Libero Mailinh Godschall leads Duke with 140 digs on 4.38 digs per set. Kadel's 1.18 blocks per set a a team high, followed by Breonna Goss at 0.73 blocks/set.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina is enjoying a 6-1 start to its season following wins over Kansas State and Lipscomb in Manhattan, Kansas last weekend. The Tar Heels lone loss coming at South Carolina on September 8. Mike Schall is in his second season leading UNC after serving in an assistant capacity for the five seasons prior.UNC ranks among the best in the country in several statistical categories, including being No. 4 in assists per set (13.74), No. 4 in kills per set (14.61), No. 5 in opponent hitting percentage (.118) and No. 23 in blocks per set (2.74).
Outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster is one of the best servers in the country ranking No. 8 in aces per set (.70), recording 16 aces in 23 sets played. Shaffmaster is the sister of Minnesota setter Melani Shaffmaster and is an All-ACC first teamer. Her 4.89 points per set and 4.00 kills per set also lead the Tar Heels on .329 hitting. Safi Hampton is second in points per set (3.85) and kills per set (3.06). Zoe Behrendt (6.65 assists/set) and Taylor Eisert (4.91 assists/set) split the setting duties.
Libero Maddy May paces UNC defensively with 4.22 digs/set. Middle blockers Alexis Engelbrecht (1.33 blocks/set) and Jackie Taylor (1.17 blocks/set) each average over a block per set, while outside hitter Emani' Foster is close at 0.86 per.
SERIES HISTORY
Duke- Michigan State is 3-3 all-time against Duke dating back to 1997 and have faced the Blue Devils in each of the last two seasons.
- MSU has lost two-straight to Duke, falling 3-0 in 2023 and 3-2 in 2022. The Spartans are 1-1 when facing Duke on the road, lasting winning in Durham on Sept. 19, 2015 by a final score of 3-0 against a Duke team that was receiving votes.
North Carolina
- Michigan State is 6-3 against UNC all-time dating back to 1988. Like Duke, MSU has taken on North Carolina in each of the last two seasons.
- The Spartans last defeated North Carolina on Sept. 10, 2023, winning 3-1 at the Breslin Center. MSU is 2-1 when facing the Tar Heels on the road, last winning in Chapel Hill on Sept. 1, 2018 by a final score of 3-1.
ACC-B1G CHALLENGE
- Though the ACC-B1G Challenge has not formally existed since 2022, Michigan State, Michigan, Duke and North Carolina have kept that tradition alive over the past three seasons.
- With the first matches of the series canceled in 2021 due to COVID-19, MSU, UM, Duke and UNC will have met in three consecutive seasons following this weekend.
- The Spartans lost a close five-set battle at Duke in 2022, storming back to win sets three and four to force a deciding fifth set.
- In 2023, MSU took down North Carolina, 3-1, inside the Breslin Center. Taylah Holdem took over with 21 kills on .341 hitting. while Nalani Iosia added 10 assists and 14 digs for a double-double.
In The B1G Rankings
- Nalani Iosia is #3 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.19.
- In the last week (since Sept. 11) Iosia has posted 4.70 digs/set which still ranks #3 over 10 sets played.
- Evie Doezema ranks #7 among B1G players in hitting percentage this season hitting .417 through nine matches.
- In the last week (since Sept. 11) Doezema ranks #2 in the B1G hitting .613 on 31 attempts in eight sets played.
- Zuzanna Kulig ranks #8 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.30 blocks/set.
