EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball is back at home this weekend for a pair of B1G matches, taking on No. 13-ranked Oregon on Thursday, November 21 at 6 PM, and Maryland on Saturday, November 23 at 1 PM.
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 both of this week's matches.
SERIES HISTORY
#13 Oregon- This is the third-ever meeting between Michigan State and Oregon, with the series even at 1-1.
- The Spartans are 1-0 at home, taking down the No. 12 Ducks on Sept. 8, 2013 (3-1) in the first match of a home and home series with Oregon and Oregon State in 2013 and 2014.
- Lauren Wicinski had 17 kills for MSU while Alexis Mathews had a career-best 15. Kori Moster added 22 digs with Kristen Kelsay's 36 assists. Ariana Williams had 16 kills for Oregon on .625 hitting along with Amanda Benson's 20 digs.
Maryland
- Michigan State is 15-4 all-time against Maryland after falling to the Terps (3-1) earlier this season in College Park.
- MSU is 6-1 at home against Maryland, winning 3-0 at the Breslin Center last season.
- Amani McArthur had 8 kills on .412 hitting along with six blocks in that meeting, while Taylah Holdem posted a double-double (10 kills, 10 digs).
IN THE B1G RANKINGS
Nalani Iosia is #1 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.49 and ranks #1 in total digs with 445.
Iosia is #1 in B1G only matches with 4.54 digs/set on 268 total digs.
Last week Iosia ranked #2 in digs/set with 5.00 on 35 total digs.
Zuzanna Kulig ranks #3 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.44 blocks/set, only behind Purdue's Raven Colvin (1.57) and Minnesota Phoebe Awoleye (1.48).
Kulig's total blocks (137) rank third in the conference behind Colvin's 149 and Awoleye's 138, and her solo blocks (24) lead the league.
In B1G only matches Kulig ranks #3 in blocks/set with 1.41.
Kulig is #10 in the B1G in overall season hitting at .347 (127-24-297).
Evie Doezema was #2 in the B1G in blocks/set last week at 1.71, while Akasha Anderson and Kulig tied for #6 at 1.43.
Michigan State led the B1G in opponent hitting percentage last week at .073 and was #3 in blocks (3.21/set) and aces (2.00/set).
LAST ONE, BEST ONE
Fifth-year libero Nalani Iosia saved her best for last, averaging a career-high 4.49 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 4.49 digs/set would rank No. 6 in the program history book for a single season.
Iosia's 4.21 career digs/set at MSU is good for third all-time in the Green & White.
Iosia is No. 5 in career digs at MSU and now has 1,395 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 (147) and No. 14 in sets played (524).
Iosia is the career digs leader among active B1G players that have played at least one season in the conference (1,949).
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.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
