EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball hits the road for the final time this season taking on No. 14-ranked Penn State and Rutgers this weekend. The Spartans will clash with Penn State at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 17 before taking on Rutgers at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 18.
Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+. Fans can also tune in via the Spartan Media Network on MSUSpartans.com where Jeremy Otto will have the call.
The Nittany Lions ranks No. 325 in aces per set (1.02), No. 77 in assists per set (12.21), No. 3 in blocks per set (2.95), No. 212 in digs per set (13.78), No. 62 in hitting percentage (.243), No. 58 in kills per set (13.36) and No. 71 in opponent hitting percentage (.181).
Setter Mac Podraza is No. 42 nationally in assists per set (10.29) and No. 66 in total assists (957) entering this weekend.
Outside hitter Jess Mruzik is No. 11 nationally in attacks per set (11.95), No. 13 in kills per set (4.47) and No. 17 in points per set (5.04) among all DI players.
Middle blocker Allie Holland is No. 15 nationally in blocks per set (1.38) and No. 16 in total blocks (130), while Taylor Trammell is No. 80 in blocks per set (1.15) and No. 89 in total blocks (108).
Libero Gillian Grimes averages 3.67 digs per set and leads Penn State with 345 digs this season, followed by 213 for Mruzik who plays six rotations.
The Scarlet Knights rank No. 306 in aces per set (1.19), No. 239 in assists per set (10.89), No. 149 in blocks per set (2.10), No. 242 in digs per set (13.38), No. 188 in hitting percentage (.205), No. 250 in kills per set (11.69) and No. 248 in opponent hitting percentage (.223).
Setter Alyssa Nayar ranks No. 132 nationally with 8.86 assists per set and is No. 136 with 797 total assists.
Middle blocker Tina Grkovic ranks No. 236 in blocks per set (0.97) and is No. 145 in hitting percentage at .330.
Outside hitter Alyssa Kinkella leads the team with 291 kills and ranks No. 289 nationally with 3.00 kills per set.
Madyson Chitty leads the team with 3.64 digs per set and ranks No. 191 nationally with 353 digs.
SERIES HISTORY
Penn State
- Michigan State is 8-53 all-time against Penn State and 3-29 when playing the Nittany Lions on the road.
- MSU last defeated Penn State in State College on Sept. 28, 2013, 3-2. Lauren Wicinski had 21 kills and Kari Moster posted 18 digs as the Spartans upset the No. 1-ranked Nittany Lions.
- The Spartans are 1-0 against Penn State this season, taking down the Nittany Lions, 3-2, at the Breslin Center on Oct. 28 to come back from a 2-1 deficit.
Rutgers
- Michigan State is 15-3 all-time against Rutgers and 6-1 when facing the Scarlet Knights on the road, last defeating Rutgers in Piscataway (3-1) on Nov. 11, 2021.
- MSU has won four of the last five against Rutgers and seven of the last 10 meetings.
- The Spartans defeated Rutgers earlier this season, winning 3-1 at the Breslin Center. Taylah Holdem and Aliyah Moore each had 14 kills and Amani McArthur tallied eight blocks. Nalani Iosia and Holdem each finished with 11 digs.
Match preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+. Fans can also tune in via the Spartan Media Network on MSUSpartans.com where Jeremy Otto will have the call.
ABOUT #14 PENN STATE
Penn State is 17-8 overall and 11-5 in B1G action this season, and is coming off of a 3-1 upset over then No. 2-ranked Wisconsin last weekend in State College.The Nittany Lions ranks No. 325 in aces per set (1.02), No. 77 in assists per set (12.21), No. 3 in blocks per set (2.95), No. 212 in digs per set (13.78), No. 62 in hitting percentage (.243), No. 58 in kills per set (13.36) and No. 71 in opponent hitting percentage (.181).
Setter Mac Podraza is No. 42 nationally in assists per set (10.29) and No. 66 in total assists (957) entering this weekend.
Outside hitter Jess Mruzik is No. 11 nationally in attacks per set (11.95), No. 13 in kills per set (4.47) and No. 17 in points per set (5.04) among all DI players.
Middle blocker Allie Holland is No. 15 nationally in blocks per set (1.38) and No. 16 in total blocks (130), while Taylor Trammell is No. 80 in blocks per set (1.15) and No. 89 in total blocks (108).
Libero Gillian Grimes averages 3.67 digs per set and leads Penn State with 345 digs this season, followed by 213 for Mruzik who plays six rotations.
ABOUT RUTGERS
Rutgers is 10-16 overall and 2-14 in the Big Ten this season having lost five straight matches. Last defeated Iowa, 3-2, on Oct. 27.The Scarlet Knights rank No. 306 in aces per set (1.19), No. 239 in assists per set (10.89), No. 149 in blocks per set (2.10), No. 242 in digs per set (13.38), No. 188 in hitting percentage (.205), No. 250 in kills per set (11.69) and No. 248 in opponent hitting percentage (.223).
Setter Alyssa Nayar ranks No. 132 nationally with 8.86 assists per set and is No. 136 with 797 total assists.
Middle blocker Tina Grkovic ranks No. 236 in blocks per set (0.97) and is No. 145 in hitting percentage at .330.
Outside hitter Alyssa Kinkella leads the team with 291 kills and ranks No. 289 nationally with 3.00 kills per set.
Madyson Chitty leads the team with 3.64 digs per set and ranks No. 191 nationally with 353 digs.
SERIES HISTORY
Penn State- Michigan State is 8-53 all-time against Penn State and 3-29 when playing the Nittany Lions on the road.
- MSU last defeated Penn State in State College on Sept. 28, 2013, 3-2. Lauren Wicinski had 21 kills and Kari Moster posted 18 digs as the Spartans upset the No. 1-ranked Nittany Lions.
- The Spartans are 1-0 against Penn State this season, taking down the Nittany Lions, 3-2, at the Breslin Center on Oct. 28 to come back from a 2-1 deficit.
Rutgers
- Michigan State is 15-3 all-time against Rutgers and 6-1 when facing the Scarlet Knights on the road, last defeating Rutgers in Piscataway (3-1) on Nov. 11, 2021.
- MSU has won four of the last five against Rutgers and seven of the last 10 meetings.
- The Spartans defeated Rutgers earlier this season, winning 3-1 at the Breslin Center. Taylah Holdem and Aliyah Moore each had 14 kills and Amani McArthur tallied eight blocks. Nalani Iosia and Holdem each finished with 11 digs.
BISHOP CROSSES 1,000 ASSIST MARK
- Junior setter Julia Bishop crossed the 1,000 career assist mark against Purdue on Sunday, Nov. 12.
- Bishop posted 39 assists last week, including 24 against Purdue on Sunday. She secured her 1,000th assist on a kill by Evie Doezema at the end of set three.
- Bishop enters the weekend with 1,007 career assists.
LAST WEEK IN SPARTAN VOLLEYBALL
- Michigan State was 0-2 last week, falling on the road at Ohio State and #16 Purdue, but wasn't without its fair share of strong individual performances.
- Taylah Holdem ranked No. 2 in the B1G last week in kills per set (5.29) and tied for the overall conference lead in kills with 37. Holdem also ranked No. 3 in points per set at 5.79.
- Nalani Iosia led the entire B1G in digs per set last week averaging 5.57 with 39 total digs.
- Zuzanna Kulig was No. 2 in blocks per set in the B1G at 1.71 on 12 total blocks. Kulig also hit .364 to rank No. 10 in the B1G.
- Amani McArthur ranked No. 4 in the B1G in hitting percentage at .421.
- Aliyah Moore hit .333 on the right side with 18 kills.
Match preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
