Ranked Challengers Await on Trip to Minnesota, Wisconsin
11/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
| Michigan State at No. 4 Minnesota, No. 13 Wisconsin | |
| Dates | Friday, Nov. 6, 8 pm ET at No. 4 Minnesota Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 pm ET at No. 13 Wisconsin |
| Location | (Fri.) Minneapolis, Minn.; Sports Pavilion (Sun.) Madison, Wis.; UW Field House |
| TV | BTN vs. Minnesota | ESPN2 vs. Wisconsin |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network; Keaton Gillogly, pxp | Download the SSN App |
| Live Statistics | | vs. Wisconsin |
| Download Game Notes | Michigan State | Wisconsin |
| Previews | Cathy | Weekly Preview |
| Social Media | @MichStVB  | Facebook  |
SERIES NOTES
• Michigan State will look to snap a three- match losing streak when it heads to Minnesota (Friday, BTN) and Wisconsin (Sunday, ESPN2).
• MSU owns a 17-51 mark in the all-time series with the Gophers, and has dropped three straight after a November 2012 Spartan victory at Jenison Field House that snapped a 10-match losing streak. Minnesota took a 3-1 decision at Jenison last November in the lone meeting of the teams in 2014.
• The Spartans are looking for their first win at Minnesota's Sports Pavilion since 2001 - MSU has left without a victory in it's last 12 trips.
• MSU is 26-47 all-time against Wisconsin, which includes a 3-0 loss at the hands of the Badgers in the lone 2014 meeting of the teams last November in East Lansing. MSU has dropped three straight in the series after three straight wins, and won in Madison as recently as 2012, a 3-1 victory.
• Friday's game will air on Big Ten Network (Mike Wolf, Liz Tortorello-Nelson). Sunday's match will air live on ESPN2, with a live stream on the WatchESPN App. Sam Gore and US National Team coach Karch Kirlay will handle the play-calling from Madison.
TEAM NOTES
• MSU concluded the first half of Big Ten play at 6-4, and now at 6-6, sits in a seventh-place tie with Michigan and Illinois. MSU was .500 at the halfway mark in 2014 (5-5), 6-4 at the midpoint of the 2013 season, and went 4-6 in 2012 before rallying for a 7-3 second half to finish 11-9.
• MSU played seven of its first 10 Big Ten games at Jenison Field House, and opens the second half with four straight road games.
• MSU has concluded its season meetings with four of its six "one-plays" on the schedule this season. In the scheduling format employed beginning in 2014, each team plays seven teams twice and six teams just once. The Spartans went 2-2 against Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State and Illinois (losing to the latter two); MSU's remaining "one plays" are this weekend at Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
• The matches this weekend will be MSU's fourth and fifth in the last six matches against ranked teams. MSU is 2-6 in matches vs. opponents in the Top 25 this season and 3-1 against teams receiving votes in the poll the week of the match.
• MSU had won four straight matches, its best run in Big Ten play this season, before its most recent three-game skid, its most consecutive losses this season.
• MSU's longest winning streak of the season is six matches. After a win on Oct. 10 at Iowa, MSU posted three straight victories at home over Maryland (3-1), Rutgers (3-0), and No. 6 Ohio State (3-0).
• MSU's 3-1 victory over Maryland on Oct. 14 was the 200th in the Michigan State tenure of Spartan head coach Cathy George. In her 10 years at the helm, she has guided MSU to the NCAA Tournament eight times, with three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances. She owns a 202-149 mark at MSU (.578) and a 567-375 record (.603) in 28+ seasons as a head coach.
• MSU is no longer receiving votes in the most recent AVCA poll after its losses to Illinois and Northwestern. MSU was among teams receiving votes the previous eight weeks after starting the season at No. 19 in the survey. Eight Big Ten teams appear in the Top 25, including No. 4 Minnesota and No. 13 Wisconsin.
• The first RPI rankings of the year were released on Oct. 4, and the Spartans come in at No. 41 in the fourth release. Five teams (No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 9 Nebraska, No. 12 Wisconsin, and No. 18 Illinois) populate the top 18 overall, which is led by Southern California. Purdue (30), Michigan (31), Northwestern (33), and MSU (48) give the Big Ten 10 of the top 41 teams.
In addition to the 10 B1G schools, two MSU non-conference opponents are in the RPI top 50: Kentucky (13) and North Carolina (28). In the next RPI grouping, Iowa (58), Duke (68) Indiana (77), and Virginia Tech (78) also appear.
• In the latest NCAA rankings, the Spartans come in at eighth in average attendance, welcoming 2,815 fans per match at Jenison Field House. With 10 matches at home so far this season, MSU ranks ninth in total attendance (28,148). MSU has just 13 home matches in 2015, the fewest since the 2009 season. MSU's attendance for the Oct. 24th match vs. Penn State was 6,114, the third-largest volleyball crowd in Jenison history. The two larger crowds of 6,218 and 6,183 were set against Michigan in 2014 and 2013, respectively.
• Eleven of MSU's 14 victories this season have come by 3-0 decisions, the other a five-set win over Butler and a four-set victories against North Carolina and Maryland. MSU has opened with a first-set victory in 18 of its 23 matches, and is 14-4 in those contests. The three losses when winning the first set have all come in Big Ten play to No. 20 Purdue, No. 23 Michigan, No. 4 Nebraska, and Northwestern The five times MSU lost the first set, it resulted in a Spartan match loss.
• The Spartans are third in the B1G and rank 30th nationally in kills per set (14.10). MSU ranks fourth in the Conference in assists (13.09/s), which is 32nd nationally.
• The Spartans are seventh in the B1G in blocks (2.43/s) after being out-blocked by a combined 28-15 last week. The Spartans rank 50th nationally in blocks per set.
• The Spartans have hit .196 or better in nine of their 12 Big Ten matches. Northwestern hit .310 in Saturday's Wildcat victory, the highest hitting percentage for any MSU opponent this season. On the year, MSU's opponent hitting percentage is .190, while the Spartans are hitting .243 as a team - which ranks 62nd nationally.
• MSU had 59 digs in the Friday match vs. Illinois, their third-most in a Big Ten match this season. MSU's previous highs were 63 in four sets vs. Nebraska and 60 in four sets vs. Maryland.
• The Spartans were held without a service ace against Illinois, the first time in Big Ten play and the second time this season overall, while having double-digit service errors (10). MSU's season-high 13 service errors came against Nebraska.
• MSU wrapped its non-conference schedule with a 8-3 overall record. Non-conference opponents North Carolina (No. 7), Kentucky (No. 15) and Duke (No. 25) all appeared in the preseason AVCA Top-25, and first-weekend opponent Arkansas-Little Rock received votes. Eight of MSU's 11 non-conference opponents went .500 or better in the first four weeks of the season.
• The Spartans host Nebraska next Wednesday in their first home match since Oct. 24, then will head back on the road for a match at Indiana on Saturday.
PLAYER NOTES
• MSU is spreading out its offense, with five starters averaging between 2.4 and 3.10 kills per set. Brooke Kranda maintains the team lead at 3.10, followed by Chloe Reinig (2.93), Alyssa Garvelink (2.48), Allyssah Fitterer (2.43), and Holly Toliver (2.42).
• Chloe Reinig had 12 and 14 kills, respectively, last week in the matches vs. Illinois and Northwestern. It was the first time since the second weekend of the season that she has led MSU in kills in back-to-back matches. She missed seven matches earlier this season with injury.
• With a season-high five blocks (two solo), Reinig was MSU's individual blocks leader vs. Penn State. Last Saturday at Northwestern,she had a career-high three assists along with three digs, three blocks, and her 14 kills. On the year, Reinig averages 2.93 kills and 0.58 blocks per set
• Alyssa Garvelink posted a season-best nine blocks in the match at Northwestern. Eight of those stuffs were block assists, her career best in that category.
• Garvelink had nine kills and hit a team-best .389 against Illinois, and added eight kills, a service ace, and a pair of digs against Northwestern.
• Garvelink ranks 12th in the Big Ten in blocks per set (1.12), and averages 1.14 in Big Ten matches only, where she ranks ninth. She ranks seventh among Big Ten hitters in percentage in Conference games (.324), while she holds a .297 hitting percentage overall. She also averages 2.48 kills per set overall, and 2.21 in Big Ten matches.
• Garvelink's five solo blocks against Michigan (Sept. 30) is tied for the most in the Big Ten for any player in the Conference this season. She has been the top kill producer for the Spartans in three of the last five matches and has led MSU in blocks in 12 of 23 contests.
• Garvelink's .647 hitting percentage against Rutgers (Oct. 17) is the seventh-best by Big Ten player in a single match this season, while her nine blocks vs. Northwestern is tied for the third-highest total in a Big Ten match this season.
• Holly Toliver posted her third double-double of the season at No. 21 Illinois, posting a career-best 14 digs along with 10 kills as well as a career-best three assists. She then posted 11 kills, three digs, and a block at Northwestern. • Toliver is contributing 2.55 kills and 1.30 digs per set. In Big Ten play only, she averages 2.42 kills and 1.40 digs per frame. • Toliver's wicked jump serve has yielded 20 service aces this season, the most on the team. She ranks fourth in the Big Ten in service aces (0.32), and posted a career-best four aces in MSU's win over Ohio State (Oct. 21) • In her career-best eighth double-double of the season, Rachel Minarick posted 41 assists and 10 digs vs. Illinois last Friday She has the most single-season double-doubles since the 10 posted by current student assistant coach Lauren Wicinski in 2013.
• Minarick now has 14 career double-doubles, the most for MSU since Wicinski's 18 from 2012-13. Only three of her 14 career double-doubles have come on her home court at Jenison Field House.
• Minarick, who has alternated between running a 6-2 and 5-1 this season, is averaging 9.04 assists per set, which is 10th in the Big Ten overall and 9.07 A/s is 11th in conference matches only. She is also averaging 0.52 blocks, 2.26 digs, and 1.12 kills per set on the season, while hitting .268.
• Minarick posted the 11th triple-double in MSU history against North Carolina. In her triple-double she posted career-bests in kills (11) and aces (4), while recording 25 assists and 10 digs and also contributing two blocks. MSU's last triple-double was by setter Allison Ianni, who did it in the 2006 season opener vs. IPFW (55 assists, 11 kills, 10 digs.) Minarick is the lone player in the Big Ten with a triple-double this season. She has twice earned Big Ten Setter of the Week honors in 2015.
• Minarick is just the eighth athlete in Big Ten history to earn the Setter of the Week honors more than once in a single season. Micha Hancock of Penn State won it six times in the 2012 season as a sophomore, and five times each in her junior and senior seasons. The Setter of the Week honor was added to the weekly awards lineup in advance of the 2012 season.
• MSU made a change at libero after the match at Illinois. It is the second change this season - Kristen Muir started there in the first six matches of the season, and Abby Monson wore the alternate-colored jersey for the next 17 matches before Muir wore it again against Northwestern.
• Muir has posted four double-digit dig efforts in each of the last three matches and seven double-digit matches in MSU's 12 Big Ten contests. She led the team with 15 digs against Illinois and 12 against Northwestern, adding a pair of service aces to her stat line vs. the Wildcats.
• Monson is averaging 3.48 digs per set, which ranks ninth in the Big Ten, while her 3.60 per set in Big Ten play is also ninth. In her 17 matches playing the libero position, she was held without double-digit digs just once - in the Oct. 17 match vs. Rutgers, where she had nine.
• Monson contributed five assists vs. Penn State, which is her second-highest total in a Big Ten match behind the eight she posted at Iowa. She averages 0.73 assists per set on the season.
• MSU had four players with double-digit digs in consecutive matches vs. Penn State and Illinois, the third and fourth time this season MSU had four in a single match (vs. North Carolina, vs. Michigan on Oct. 3).
• Allyssah Fitterer had eight kills, two digs, and a team-best three blocks at No. 21 Illinois. She leads the Spartans in hitting percentage (.297), averaging 2.43 kills, 0.82 digs and 0.74 blocks per set.
• Brooke Kranda had 12 kills at Northwestern, second among MSU players and her first double-digit kill match since posting 10 at Iowa on Oct. 10. A middle blocker by trade who has stepped in admirably to play outside this season, Kranda leads the Spartans 3.10 kills per set, tied for 14th in the Conference (2.88 in the Big Ten), and has led MSU in kills in 11 of 23 matches. She also has 15 double-digit kill performances.
• Megan Tompkins was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14, and Abby Monson earned the same honor on Sept. 21. This gives MSU four different players a Conference weekly honor in the same season for the first time since 1999, when Jessica Sanborn, Erin Hartley, Angela Morley, and Vicki Basil had all earned Player of the Week honors. The only other time it happened in school history was in 1995 -- when Player of the Week honors were earned by Dana Cooke, Veronica Morales, Val Sterk,(twice) and Jenna Wrobel.
• Tompkins was the Defensive Player of the Week after the Holly Young Invitational at New Hampshire, in which she compiled her career best nine blocks vs. Delaware (Sept. 12). That's tied for the third-most blocks in a single match in the Big Ten this season (along with Garvelink). On the year, Tompkins is second among Spartans and 13th in the Big Ten with 1.09 blocks per set.
• Five weekly Player of the Week awards have been won by this current Spartan team, which has only been accomplished by the 1995 team as well -- Val Sterk was the Player of the Week twice in addition to Cooke, Morales, and Wrobel each winning once. Minarick is the two-time winner of the 2015 squad.
• Freshman Sarah Washegesic had her third career double-digit dig performance with 11 in Saturday's match vs. Penn State. Her career best (14) came vs. Butler on Sept. 4. She is averaging 1.51 D/s on the year.
• The season of junior transfer and two-time All-American Autumn Bailey came to an end before it really even got started. Bailey suffered a leg injury against Kentucky in the season opener on Aug. 28, and will miss the remainder of the year. She will be eligible to petition for a medical hardship waiver to have two more years to play in East Lansing. Bailey had a double-double in the Green & White exhibition match, and also had a double-double (11k, 12d) vs. Kentucky before leaving the match with injury.
