EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball hits the road this week heading West for the first time in the new-look B1G to face No. 16-ranked USC and receiving votes UCLA. Action gets underway on Thursday, Oct. 24 when MSU takes on USC on Big Ten Network at 11:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT. The Spartans are back in action on Saturday, Oct. 26 taking on UCLA at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.
Thursday night's match will be televise nationally on Big Ten Network while Saturday's meeting will stream on B1G+. Fans can listen in live via the Spartan Media Network for both matches where John Kreger will call the action in his 20th season of coverage.
USC is 14-4 (6-2 B1G) having won 11 of its last 13 matches. USC is 213-57 all-time at the Galen Center and has won nine straight home matches.
USC ranks No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in the B1G in blocking with 2.96 blocks/set. The Women of Troy also rank No. 30 in opposing hitting percentage (.167), No. 99 in hitting percentage (.227), No. 116 in kills/set (12.87), No. 149 in assists/set (11.68), No. 230 in aces/set (1.39) and No. 278 in digs/set (13.10).
USC's blocking is led by Tyrah Ariail's 1.22 blocks/set and Favor Anyanwu's 1.04 blocks/set. Setter Mia Tuaniga is No. 55 nationally in assists/set (9.86) and is No. 5 in the B1G in total assists (680). Ally Batenhorst leads USC in kills/set at 3.70 and points/set (4.44).
UCLA is 9-8 (3-5 B1G) and receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll coming off a 3-0 road sweep of Northwestern last weekend.
UCLA ranks No. 28 nationally in kills/set (13.65), No. 31 in assists/set (12.73), No. 43 in hitting percentage (.250), No. 78 in blocks/set (2.35), No. 126 in opposing hitting percentage (.195), No. 200 in digs/set (14.03) and No. 287 in aces/set (1.26).
Cheridyn Leverette is No. 49 nationally in kills/set (3.98) and No. 77 in points/set (4.29). Leverette's kills/set rank no. 7 in the B1G. Audrey Pak is No. 50 nationally in assists/set (9.92 and No. 6 in the B1G in total assists (655). Anna Dodson leads the block with 1.24 blocks/set to rank No. 67 nationally and No. 8 in the B1G.
- Michigan State is 1-7 all-time against USC dating back to 1976 when the teams met twice at the AIAW National Tournament in Austin, Texas. MSU is 0-1 when playing in Los Angeles.
- The Spartans were defeated, 3-0, in Los Angeles on Aug. 24, 2007 at the Trojan Invitational. Ashley Schatzle led MSU with 15 kills and 16 digs.
- Michigan State's lone all-time victory over USC came in East Lansing, winning 3-2 on Aug. 28, 2009. Four Spartans finished with double-digit kills led by Jenilee Rathje's 17. Natalie Emro posted 54 assists and Allyson Karaba tallied 20 digs.
UCLA
- Michigan State is 1-4 all-time against UCLA and is 1-3 when playing in Los Angeles.
- The Spartans have twice faced off with UCLA in NCAA Tournament matches, first in the second round of the 2000 tournament and lastly in the second round of the 2012 tournament.
- Michigan State defeated the No. 7-ranked Bruins, 3-1 (25-17, 29-27, 18-25, 25-22) in Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 1, 2012. Lauren Wicinski posted 23 kills for MSU and B1G Defensive Player of the Year Kori Moster tallied 28 digs. Taylor Galloway had a double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs.
Iosia is #2 in B1G only matches with 4.62 digs/set on 134 total digs.
Last week Iosia was #2 in digs/set at 5.71 with a league-best 40 total digs through seven sets played.
Zuzanna Kulig ranks #3 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.48 blocks/set, only behind Purdue's Raven Colvin (1.63) and Minnesota Phoebe Awoleye (1.58).
Kulig's total blocks (96) rank third in the conference behind Colvin's 114 and Awoleye's 101, and her solo blocks (17) are second behind Colvin (18).
In B1G only matches Kulig ranks #3 in blocks/set with 1.45, trailing Awoleye's 2.00 and Wisconsin's Carter Booth (1.64).
Last week, Kulig ranked #3 in the B1G in hitting percentage hitting .545 for the week (12-0-22).
Foley was the first sub off the bench against #2 Nebraska on Friday night and collected nine digs through seven sets of action on the weekend.
Iosia and Tuaniga grew up playing against one another and both come from big volleyball families.
Iosia's sister Norene was a setter at Hawaii (2016-19), her sister Naomi played at Hope International (2008-2011) and her brother Nehemiah played at El Camino College (2016).
Tuaniga's brother Gus played men's volleyball at Hawaii (2009-10) and her brother Josh played at Long Beach State (2016-19).
Iosia played club volleyball alongside USC's Adonia Faumuina. Iosia, Tuaniga and Faumuina share a Polynesian heritage.
If the season ended today, Iosia's 4.51 digs/set would rank No. 6 in the program history book for a single season.
Last weekend Iosia moved into No. 7 in career digs at MSU and now has 1,261 in a Spartan jersey. Becky Belanger is No. 6 all-time with 1,293 career digs.
Iosia ranks No. 26 in active career dig leaders among all DI players with 1,815.
Iosia is first in the B1G in digs per set and total digs.
Iosia entered the season ranked second in the B1G in career digs among active players with 1,504 (now 1,815).
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.
Iosia matched her career-high of 27 digs against Washington on Oct. 20, 2024.
Kulig ranks No. 9 nationally and No. 3 in the B1G in blocks per set (1.48).
Kulig's 96 total blocks rank No. 25 nationally and No. 3 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 1.48 blocks/set would rank No. 6 in program history for a single season. No Spartan has posted 1.50 blocks/set since 2001 (Angela Morley (1.55).
Kulig's current career 1.24 blocks/set would rank No. 5 in program history.
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.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Thursday night's match will be televise nationally on Big Ten Network while Saturday's meeting will stream on B1G+. Fans can listen in live via the Spartan Media Network for both matches where John Kreger will call the action in his 20th season of coverage.
ABOUT #16 USC
USC is 14-4 (6-2 B1G) having won 11 of its last 13 matches. USC is 213-57 all-time at the Galen Center and has won nine straight home matches.
USC ranks No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in the B1G in blocking with 2.96 blocks/set. The Women of Troy also rank No. 30 in opposing hitting percentage (.167), No. 99 in hitting percentage (.227), No. 116 in kills/set (12.87), No. 149 in assists/set (11.68), No. 230 in aces/set (1.39) and No. 278 in digs/set (13.10).
USC's blocking is led by Tyrah Ariail's 1.22 blocks/set and Favor Anyanwu's 1.04 blocks/set. Setter Mia Tuaniga is No. 55 nationally in assists/set (9.86) and is No. 5 in the B1G in total assists (680). Ally Batenhorst leads USC in kills/set at 3.70 and points/set (4.44).
ABOUT (RV) UCLA
UCLA is 9-8 (3-5 B1G) and receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll coming off a 3-0 road sweep of Northwestern last weekend.
UCLA ranks No. 28 nationally in kills/set (13.65), No. 31 in assists/set (12.73), No. 43 in hitting percentage (.250), No. 78 in blocks/set (2.35), No. 126 in opposing hitting percentage (.195), No. 200 in digs/set (14.03) and No. 287 in aces/set (1.26).
Cheridyn Leverette is No. 49 nationally in kills/set (3.98) and No. 77 in points/set (4.29). Leverette's kills/set rank no. 7 in the B1G. Audrey Pak is No. 50 nationally in assists/set (9.92 and No. 6 in the B1G in total assists (655). Anna Dodson leads the block with 1.24 blocks/set to rank No. 67 nationally and No. 8 in the B1G.
SERIES HISTORY
USC- Michigan State is 1-7 all-time against USC dating back to 1976 when the teams met twice at the AIAW National Tournament in Austin, Texas. MSU is 0-1 when playing in Los Angeles.
- The Spartans were defeated, 3-0, in Los Angeles on Aug. 24, 2007 at the Trojan Invitational. Ashley Schatzle led MSU with 15 kills and 16 digs.
- Michigan State's lone all-time victory over USC came in East Lansing, winning 3-2 on Aug. 28, 2009. Four Spartans finished with double-digit kills led by Jenilee Rathje's 17. Natalie Emro posted 54 assists and Allyson Karaba tallied 20 digs.
UCLA
- Michigan State is 1-4 all-time against UCLA and is 1-3 when playing in Los Angeles.
- The Spartans have twice faced off with UCLA in NCAA Tournament matches, first in the second round of the 2000 tournament and lastly in the second round of the 2012 tournament.
- Michigan State defeated the No. 7-ranked Bruins, 3-1 (25-17, 29-27, 18-25, 25-22) in Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 1, 2012. Lauren Wicinski posted 23 kills for MSU and B1G Defensive Player of the Year Kori Moster tallied 28 digs. Taylor Galloway had a double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs.
IN THE B1G RANKINGS
Nalani Iosia is #1 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.51 and ranks #1 in total digs with 311.Iosia is #2 in B1G only matches with 4.62 digs/set on 134 total digs.
Last week Iosia was #2 in digs/set at 5.71 with a league-best 40 total digs through seven sets played.
Zuzanna Kulig ranks #3 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.48 blocks/set, only behind Purdue's Raven Colvin (1.63) and Minnesota Phoebe Awoleye (1.58).
Kulig's total blocks (96) rank third in the conference behind Colvin's 114 and Awoleye's 101, and her solo blocks (17) are second behind Colvin (18).
In B1G only matches Kulig ranks #3 in blocks/set with 1.45, trailing Awoleye's 2.00 and Wisconsin's Carter Booth (1.64).
Last week, Kulig ranked #3 in the B1G in hitting percentage hitting .545 for the week (12-0-22).
SPARTAN DEBUTS
Last weekend marked the collegiate debut of freshman defensive specialist Kayla Foley.Foley was the first sub off the bench against #2 Nebraska on Friday night and collected nine digs through seven sets of action on the weekend.
THE BLOODLINE
Michigan State libero Nalani Iosia and USC setter Mia Tuaniga are cousins.Iosia and Tuaniga grew up playing against one another and both come from big volleyball families.
Iosia's sister Norene was a setter at Hawaii (2016-19), her sister Naomi played at Hope International (2008-2011) and her brother Nehemiah played at El Camino College (2016).
Tuaniga's brother Gus played men's volleyball at Hawaii (2009-10) and her brother Josh played at Long Beach State (2016-19).
Iosia played club volleyball alongside USC's Adonia Faumuina. Iosia, Tuaniga and Faumuina share a Polynesian heritage.
LAST ONE, BEST ONE
Fifth-year libero Nalani Iosia saved her best for last, averaging a career-high 4.51 digs per set. Her previous career-high was 4.16 set in 2023.If the season ended today, Iosia's 4.51 digs/set would rank No. 6 in the program history book for a single season.
Last weekend Iosia moved into No. 7 in career digs at MSU and now has 1,261 in a Spartan jersey. Becky Belanger is No. 6 all-time with 1,293 career digs.
Iosia ranks No. 26 in active career dig leaders among all DI players with 1,815.
Iosia is first in the B1G in digs per set and total digs.
Iosia entered the season ranked second in the B1G in career digs among active players with 1,504 (now 1,815).
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.
Iosia matched her career-high of 27 digs against Washington on Oct. 20, 2024.
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. 9 nationally and No. 3 in the B1G in blocks per set (1.48).
Kulig's 96 total blocks rank No. 25 nationally and No. 3 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 1.48 blocks/set would rank No. 6 in program history for a single season. No Spartan has posted 1.50 blocks/set since 2001 (Angela Morley (1.55).
Kulig's current career 1.24 blocks/set would rank No. 5 in program history.
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.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
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