Saturday, October 12
East Lansing, Mich.
4 PM
Michigan State University
7-10,0-6Big Ten
2
vs
3
Illinois
11-5,3-3Big Ten
1
2
3
4
5
F
Illinois
15
25
20
25
15
3
Michigan St.
25
19
25
23
8
2
Photo by: Brittney Kimball
Kulig’s Career-High Leads MSU in Five Set Battle With Illinois
10/12/2024 7:39:00 PM | Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State volleyball took a surging Illinois squad to five sets on Saturday night, falling 3-2 (15-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 15-8), at the Breslin Student Events Center. Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig's 12 blocks on Saturday were a new career-high and represented the most by a Spartan since Alexis Mathews posted 12 against Michigan on November 24, 2010. It's the fourth-most individual blocks in a single match in program history.
"I think both teams battled tonight," said Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson. "I liked how we started the match with such a decisive win in set one and continued to fight to take set three. We're competing hard and I'm so proud of our resiliency."
MSU moves to 7-10 (0-6 B1G) while Illinois improves to 11-5 (3-3 B1G). The Spartans remain at home next weekend when they welcome No. 2-ranked Nebraska and No. 24-ranked Washington to East Lansing.
Junior outside hitter Taylor Preston posted 15 kills on .268 hitting to lead MSU, while sophomore outside Taylah Holdem added seven kills. Senior setter Julia Bishop had six kills in addition to 30 assists and seven digs. For the seventh time this season, senior libero Nalani Iosia posted 20 or more digs with 25. Senior opposite Aliyah Moore had six blocks, a new season high.
As a team the Spartans tallied 17 blocks, the most by an MSU squad since November 9, 2019 in a 3-2 victory over Northwestern. MSU out-hit Illinois .187 to .145 and had 60 digs to the Illini's 50. Illinois outpaced the Spartans with 12 service aces to MSU's five.
Michigan State had seven blocks and got six service errors from Illinois in a comfortable 25-15 first set victory. MSU was all over the Illini early jumping out to an 8-1 lead. A 4-0 scoring stretch capped off by a Preston kill increased the Spartan advantage to 16-7 to force an Illinois timeout. Illinois got back within five late, 20-15, but MSU close the set on a 5-0 scoring run that ended up a successful Spartan challenge.
The Spartans trailed 12-6 early in the second before battling back to tie the frame at 15-15 on a Preston ace. MSU used a 5-0 run to pull within one at 12-11 and a 3-0 Spartan swing tied the set. Another Illini service error kept the Spartan within striking distance late at 19-17, but the serves started to fall for Illinois ending the set on a 6-2 run that included three aces.
A back-and-forth third saw the score tied at 10-10 before the Spartans pulled away using a 5-2 run to lead 15-12 at the media timeout. MSU maintained a lead throughout the rest of the frame with Illinois coming within one point at 19-18. Leading 22-20, Michigan State ended the set on a 3-0 run using kills from Preston and Moore to take a 2-1 match lead.
Moore tied the fourth at 17-17, but a 4-0 Illini run that followed proved to be the difference. Michigan State battled back earning three straight points to trail 21-20, but a back-and-forth affair put Illinois on set point 24-21. A double block by Bishop and Doezema, and a Preston kill fended off two set points for MSU, but Illinois forced a fifth set.
A Holdem kill tied the decisive fifth set early at 5-5, but Illinois took an 8-5 advantage into the break. Moore found the first kill of the second of half of the fifth to pull the Spartans within a pair, 8-6. Illinois ended the match on a 7-2 run to take it in five.
"I think both teams battled tonight," said Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson. "I liked how we started the match with such a decisive win in set one and continued to fight to take set three. We're competing hard and I'm so proud of our resiliency."
MSU moves to 7-10 (0-6 B1G) while Illinois improves to 11-5 (3-3 B1G). The Spartans remain at home next weekend when they welcome No. 2-ranked Nebraska and No. 24-ranked Washington to East Lansing.
Junior outside hitter Taylor Preston posted 15 kills on .268 hitting to lead MSU, while sophomore outside Taylah Holdem added seven kills. Senior setter Julia Bishop had six kills in addition to 30 assists and seven digs. For the seventh time this season, senior libero Nalani Iosia posted 20 or more digs with 25. Senior opposite Aliyah Moore had six blocks, a new season high.
As a team the Spartans tallied 17 blocks, the most by an MSU squad since November 9, 2019 in a 3-2 victory over Northwestern. MSU out-hit Illinois .187 to .145 and had 60 digs to the Illini's 50. Illinois outpaced the Spartans with 12 service aces to MSU's five.
Michigan State had seven blocks and got six service errors from Illinois in a comfortable 25-15 first set victory. MSU was all over the Illini early jumping out to an 8-1 lead. A 4-0 scoring stretch capped off by a Preston kill increased the Spartan advantage to 16-7 to force an Illinois timeout. Illinois got back within five late, 20-15, but MSU close the set on a 5-0 scoring run that ended up a successful Spartan challenge.
Make that seven first set blocks for MSU!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/CSicKO6Inh
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 12, 2024
The Spartans trailed 12-6 early in the second before battling back to tie the frame at 15-15 on a Preston ace. MSU used a 5-0 run to pull within one at 12-11 and a 3-0 Spartan swing tied the set. Another Illini service error kept the Spartan within striking distance late at 19-17, but the serves started to fall for Illinois ending the set on a 6-2 run that included three aces.
Julia Bishop with another dump to keep us within striking distance in set two!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/ROigJKn7Vk
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 12, 2024
A back-and-forth third saw the score tied at 10-10 before the Spartans pulled away using a 5-2 run to lead 15-12 at the media timeout. MSU maintained a lead throughout the rest of the frame with Illinois coming within one point at 19-18. Leading 22-20, Michigan State ended the set on a 3-0 run using kills from Preston and Moore to take a 2-1 match lead.
Holdem forces another timeout! We lead 21-18 in set three.#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/SwvoLqu8Mc
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 12, 2024
Moore tied the fourth at 17-17, but a 4-0 Illini run that followed proved to be the difference. Michigan State battled back earning three straight points to trail 21-20, but a back-and-forth affair put Illinois on set point 24-21. A double block by Bishop and Doezema, and a Preston kill fended off two set points for MSU, but Illinois forced a fifth set.
A career-high 12 blocks for Zuza! The most by a Spartan since Alexis Mathews on Nov. 24, 2010.#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/ZHaqfTGjLm
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 12, 2024
A Holdem kill tied the decisive fifth set early at 5-5, but Illinois took an 8-5 advantage into the break. Moore found the first kill of the second of half of the fifth to pull the Spartans within a pair, 8-6. Illinois ended the match on a 7-2 run to take it in five.
Holdem ties the fifth at 5-5!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/PyowMo2t81
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) October 12, 2024
Team Stats
Illini
MSU
Kills
59
41
Errors
35
18
Attempts
166
123
Hitting %
.145
.187
Points
81.0
63.0
Assists
58
39
Aces
12
5
Blocks
10
17
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
15
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballKristen Kelsay Postgame Comments | Chicago State
Sunday, August 31
Kristen Kelsay Postgame Comments | Merrimack
Saturday, August 30
The Next Set | Kristen Kelsay | Spartans All-Access
Monday, August 25
Volleyball B1G Media Day Press Conference | July 29, 2025
Tuesday, July 29