EAST LANSING, Mich. – Coming off a weekend of practice and preparation, Michigan State volleyball is back in action early this week for a pair of non-conference matches. The Spartans get started at Eastern Michigan on Monday, September 16 for a 6:00 p.m. match in Ypsilanti, Michigan at the Gervin GameAbove Center. MSU returns to the Breslin Student Events Center for its final home non-conference match on Tuesday, September 17, taking on Purdue Fort Wayne at 6:00 p.m.
Monday night's match at Eastern Michigan will stream on ESPN+, while Tuesday night in East Lansing will be broadcast on B1G+. Fans can 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.
Eastern Michigan is 4-6 overall and is coming off a 2-1 weekend at the Comfort Inn-Vitational in Morehead, Kentucky. The Eagles defeated Evansville (3-2) and Morehead State (3-1), but fell to Duquesne (3-2) in their final match of the weekend. EMU previously defeated IU Indianapolis and Valparaiso.
Sophomore Kaili Doctor leads the team with 118 kills and has finished in double figures in eight of 10 matches while hitting .256. Doctor posted 23 kills against Evansville on Friday, Sept. 13. Doctor's 3.25 points per set and 2.81 kills per set also lead the team. Junior Kendal Bonney is hitting a team-high .289 on 2.54 points per set. Sophomore Ella Voorhees (198 assists) and graduate Maddie Stayer (157 assists) split the setting responsibilities. Sophomore Ava Siefke leads the Eagles with 18 service aces.
Senior libero Hannah Blaney averages 3.68 digs per set. Graduate Angel Baylark leads EMU with 1.43 blocks per set, with freshman Hatteras Welker posting 1.17 blocks per set.
- Michigan State is 28-8-1 against EMU all-time and is 7-5 when playing on the road. The Spartans last played in Ypsilanti in 2007, a 3-0 win on Sept. 11, 2007.
- MSU last meet the Eagles on Aug. 27, 2022, winning 3-2 at the Spartan Invitational. Aliyah Moore led all players in the match with 16 kills, with Nalani Iosia tallying 13 digs.
Purdue Fort Wayne
- Michigan State is 3-0 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne including 1-0 at home, taking down the Mastodons, 3-2, on Sept. 7, 2012.
- The Spartans last faced Purdue Fort Wayne on Sept. 13, 2013, winning by way of a 3-0 sweep at the Butler Invitational.
Purdue Fort Wayne is 4-5 overall with a win over Cornell (3-2) this past weekend at the Popcorn Classic hosted by Valparaiso. The Mastodons were defeated by Valpo (3-0) and Miami (Ohio) (3-0). Purdue Fort Wayne also owns victories over Stonehill (3-0), Siena (3-1) and Holy Cross (3-2) in 2024.
Redshirt sophomore Panna Ratkai is the reigning Horizon League Player of the Year and leads the team with 169 kills on 4.83 kills per set and 5.33 points per set, hitting .215 on a whipping 451 attempts. Fifth year Abby Stratford's 78 kills on 209 attempts both rank second on the team. Senior Taya Haffner's 324 assists on 9.53 assists per set paces all Mastodon setters.
Junior LonDynn Betts averages 4.23 digs per set for a team-high 148 digs. Junior Jena Medearis' 0.71 blocks per set is a team best.
• MSU is matched with Taytum, a nine-year-old from Mason, Mich. with down syndrome.
• Taytum will be around the Spartans all season long, attending games, practices and team events, making a significant impact on the program.
• Since 2023, MSU volleyball is partnered with renowned mindset and peak performance coach Seth Makowsky, adding another wrinkle to the program's mental training regimen.
• Makowsky uses chess as a vehicle to help top performers throughout the world get better at what they do, with his client list including NFL quarterbacks, MVP baseball players, Olympians, Fortune 500 CEO's and NCAA champions.
• Makowsky's training is geared towards transforming how athletes think and make decisions in real time, helping the team make quicker decisions, implement game plan and in-game adjustments faster and communicate in match under pressure.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Monday night's match at Eastern Michigan will stream on ESPN+, while Tuesday night in East Lansing will be broadcast on B1G+. Fans can 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 EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan is 4-6 overall and is coming off a 2-1 weekend at the Comfort Inn-Vitational in Morehead, Kentucky. The Eagles defeated Evansville (3-2) and Morehead State (3-1), but fell to Duquesne (3-2) in their final match of the weekend. EMU previously defeated IU Indianapolis and Valparaiso.
Sophomore Kaili Doctor leads the team with 118 kills and has finished in double figures in eight of 10 matches while hitting .256. Doctor posted 23 kills against Evansville on Friday, Sept. 13. Doctor's 3.25 points per set and 2.81 kills per set also lead the team. Junior Kendal Bonney is hitting a team-high .289 on 2.54 points per set. Sophomore Ella Voorhees (198 assists) and graduate Maddie Stayer (157 assists) split the setting responsibilities. Sophomore Ava Siefke leads the Eagles with 18 service aces.
Senior libero Hannah Blaney averages 3.68 digs per set. Graduate Angel Baylark leads EMU with 1.43 blocks per set, with freshman Hatteras Welker posting 1.17 blocks per set.
SERIES HISTORY
Eastern Michigan- Michigan State is 28-8-1 against EMU all-time and is 7-5 when playing on the road. The Spartans last played in Ypsilanti in 2007, a 3-0 win on Sept. 11, 2007.
- MSU last meet the Eagles on Aug. 27, 2022, winning 3-2 at the Spartan Invitational. Aliyah Moore led all players in the match with 16 kills, with Nalani Iosia tallying 13 digs.
Purdue Fort Wayne
- Michigan State is 3-0 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne including 1-0 at home, taking down the Mastodons, 3-2, on Sept. 7, 2012.
- The Spartans last faced Purdue Fort Wayne on Sept. 13, 2013, winning by way of a 3-0 sweep at the Butler Invitational.
ABOUT PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Purdue Fort Wayne is 4-5 overall with a win over Cornell (3-2) this past weekend at the Popcorn Classic hosted by Valparaiso. The Mastodons were defeated by Valpo (3-0) and Miami (Ohio) (3-0). Purdue Fort Wayne also owns victories over Stonehill (3-0), Siena (3-1) and Holy Cross (3-2) in 2024.
Redshirt sophomore Panna Ratkai is the reigning Horizon League Player of the Year and leads the team with 169 kills on 4.83 kills per set and 5.33 points per set, hitting .215 on a whipping 451 attempts. Fifth year Abby Stratford's 78 kills on 209 attempts both rank second on the team. Senior Taya Haffner's 324 assists on 9.53 assists per set paces all Mastodon setters.
Junior LonDynn Betts averages 4.23 digs per set for a team-high 148 digs. Junior Jena Medearis' 0.71 blocks per set is a team best.
SPARTANS MAKING AN IMPACT
• This season Michigan State volleyball has partnered with Team IMPACT, which matches collegiate sports teams with children facing serious illness or disability to create a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved.• MSU is matched with Taytum, a nine-year-old from Mason, Mich. with down syndrome.
• Taytum will be around the Spartans all season long, attending games, practices and team events, making a significant impact on the program.
PLAYER NOT A PIECE
• Since 2023, MSU volleyball is partnered with renowned mindset and peak performance coach Seth Makowsky, adding another wrinkle to the program's mental training regimen.
• Makowsky uses chess as a vehicle to help top performers throughout the world get better at what they do, with his client list including NFL quarterbacks, MVP baseball players, Olympians, Fortune 500 CEO's and NCAA champions.
• Makowsky's training is geared towards transforming how athletes think and make decisions in real time, helping the team make quicker decisions, implement game plan and in-game adjustments faster and communicate in match under pressure.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
