EAST LANSING, Mich. – It's a split weekend for Michigan State volleyball who is set to host the annual Battle at Breslin against Michigan on Friday, November 15 at 6 PM before hitting the road to face Iowa at 3 PM ET on Sunday, November 17.
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 Friday night's match.
Michigan State hockey is set to take the ice at 7 PM on Friday night, so be aware of the parking layout below.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan- Michigan State is 56-51-1 all-time against Michigan and is 36-17 when facing the Wolverines in East Lansing.
- MSU swept the Wolverines last season, but dropped the first meeting of the 2024 season in Ann Arbor.
- The Spartans were defeated 3-0 at Michigan on Sept. 27, 2024.
Iowa
- Michigan State is 54-29 all-time against Iowa and is 24-14 when facing the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.
- MSU has won two straight over Iowa, winning 3-1 in Iowa City and 3-0 in East Lansing last season. The series is 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
- In the last meeting, MSU got 16 kills from Taylah Holdem as the Spartans hit .400 for the match. Holdem hit .419 (16-3-31) and Amani McArthur hit .778 (8-1-9).
STATE PRIDE ON THE LINE
Since 1990, MSU and Michigan have competed for the "State Pride" flag. The Spartans are the current holder of the flag after last season’s sweep of Michigan.Michigan leads the Spartans in total “State Pride” series wins, 18-14. Michigan State has not retained the flag in back-to-back seasons since 2015.
The school that wins both matches is declared “State Pride” winner. If teams split the matches, the school that wins the greatest number of sets will be declared the “State Pride” winner. If teams split the matches and have won the same number of sets, the school with the most total points is the “State Pride” winner.
There has been only one tie in the series – in 2014, Michigan and Michigan State split the two matches with both teams earning 4-set victories and scoring 197 points.
If Michigan wins a set on Friday, they will be declared "State Pride" winners. If MSU wins in three sets, it must hold Michigan to fewer than 60 points to tie or win the series this season.
IN THE B1G RANKINGS
Nalani Iosia is #1 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.46 and ranks #1 in total digs with 410.
Iosia is #1 in B1G only matches with 4.48 digs/set on 233 total digs.
Last week Iosia ranked #2 in digs/set with 4.75 on 38 total digs.
Zuzanna Kulig ranks #3 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.44 blocks/set, only behind Purdue's Raven Colvin (1.56) and Minnesota Phoebe Awoleye (1.49).
Kulig's total blocks (127) rank second in the conference behind Colvin's 139 and is tied with Awoleye's 127, and her solo blocks (23) lead the league.
In B1G only matches Kulig ranks #3 in blocks/set with 1.40.
Kulig is #9 in the B1G in overall season hitting at .362 (132-21-276).
Last week, Kulig ranked #7 in service aces with 0.63 per set.
Michigan State led the B1G in digs last week with 131 on 16.38 digs/set. MSU was #3 in service aces per set at 2.00 (16 total).
LAST ONE, BEST ONE
Fifth-year libero Nalani Iosia saved her best for last, averaging a career-high 4.46 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 4.46 digs/set would rank No. 6 in the program history book for a single season.
Iosia's 4.20 career digs/set at MSU is good for third all-time in the Green & White.
Last weekend Iosia moved into No. 5 in career digs at MSU and now has 1,360 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 (145) and No. 14 in sets played (517).
Iosia entered the season ranked second in the B1G in career digs among active players with 1,504 (now 1,876).
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.
