Saturday, November 23
East Lansing, Mich.
1 PM
Michigan State University
12-17,5-13Big Ten
3
vs
0
Maryland
13-16,4-14Big Ten
1
2
3
F
Maryland
19
22
18
0
Michigan St.
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Brittney Kimball
Hot-Hitting Spartans Sweep Maryland
11/23/2024 4:35:00 PM | Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Behind a .320 team hitting performance, Michigan State volleyball swept Maryland, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-18) on Saturday afternoon inside the Breslin Student Events Center.
"I was proud of the team's performance today," said Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson. "I challenged them this morning at serve and pass and pushed them to make sure our engines were ready for this match. Our hitting percentage was exceptional, our point management was exceptional. Akasha Anderson hitting .400, if you remember last time we played Maryland she struggled in that match, so this was a huge turnaround for her. Our setters made good choices of when to use her."
MSU improves to 12-17 (5-13 B1G) while Maryland falls to 13-16 (4-14 B1G). The Spartans are back at home for one final home match next Wednesday when it welcomes Northwestern to East Lansing for Senior Night at 6 PM.
Senior opposite hitter Aliyah Moore posted a season-best 12 kills and was joined in double figures by junior outside hitter Taylor Preston (12) and junior opposite hitter Akasha Anderson (11). Moore hit .625 and Anderson slugged .400 to pace the MSU attack.
Leading the defense was sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig's six blocks and senior Nalani Iosia's 12 digs. Iosia is now 17 digs away from 2,000 for her career. Splitting the setting duties were seniors Julia Bishop and Rachel Muisenga who tallied 18 and 14 assists respectively.
The Spartans out-hit Maryland .320 to .158 and held the Terrapins to .067 hitting in set three. MSU hit over .300 in every set (.316/.314/.333) en route to its second-best team hitting mark of the season. Michigan State out-blocked the Terps 11-to-6.5 behind Kulig's six. Both sides were even in the service game with six aces each. Sophomore outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska and Kulig each finished with a pair of aces.
A back-and-forth opening to set one was broken up by the Spartans heading into the media timeout after a 3-0 run put MSU ahead 16-12 following consecutive kills by Anderson. Kulig got going offensively shortly thereafter with a kill and a block in a 5-1 Spartan run that put them in front 22-16 after a Muisenga ace. Kulig picked up another kill to put Michigan State on set point before a block by Moore sealed it, 25-19.
Michigan State forced a Maryland timeout ahead of the media break in set two with a 7-3 run providing the Spartans with a 13-9 advantage following two kills by Preston. The Terrapins hung within three of MSU before a 6-2 Spartan run increased the Michigan State lead to 22-15. Moore had two kills and block over that stretch. Maryland battled back using a 4-0 spurt to trail 22-19 before their run was ended by Preston's 10th kill of the match. The Terps cut MSU's lead to one at 23-22 before a Spartan timeout reset the momentum and led to kills from Preston and Staniszewska finishing the frame, 25-22.
The Spartans took an 11-9 lead in set three and never looked back after a 5-1 scoring run put them ahead. Moore had two of her match-high 12 kills in the run. A block by Staniszewska and Kulig prior to another Moore kill forced a Maryland timeout with the Spartans leading 19-14. The Terrapins cut the lead back down to four, 20-16, before a 4-0 Spartan swing killed any Maryland momentum left and put MSU on match point 24-16. Moore continued to make her presence felt in the final moments of the match with two kills and a block over Michigan State's final five points in a 25-18 set three victory.
"I was proud of the team's performance today," said Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson. "I challenged them this morning at serve and pass and pushed them to make sure our engines were ready for this match. Our hitting percentage was exceptional, our point management was exceptional. Akasha Anderson hitting .400, if you remember last time we played Maryland she struggled in that match, so this was a huge turnaround for her. Our setters made good choices of when to use her."
MSU improves to 12-17 (5-13 B1G) while Maryland falls to 13-16 (4-14 B1G). The Spartans are back at home for one final home match next Wednesday when it welcomes Northwestern to East Lansing for Senior Night at 6 PM.
That win was turtle-y awesome!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/U9bZvUoh0S
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 23, 2024
Senior opposite hitter Aliyah Moore posted a season-best 12 kills and was joined in double figures by junior outside hitter Taylor Preston (12) and junior opposite hitter Akasha Anderson (11). Moore hit .625 and Anderson slugged .400 to pace the MSU attack.
Leading the defense was sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig's six blocks and senior Nalani Iosia's 12 digs. Iosia is now 17 digs away from 2,000 for her career. Splitting the setting duties were seniors Julia Bishop and Rachel Muisenga who tallied 18 and 14 assists respectively.
The Spartans out-hit Maryland .320 to .158 and held the Terrapins to .067 hitting in set three. MSU hit over .300 in every set (.316/.314/.333) en route to its second-best team hitting mark of the season. Michigan State out-blocked the Terps 11-to-6.5 behind Kulig's six. Both sides were even in the service game with six aces each. Sophomore outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska and Kulig each finished with a pair of aces.
A back-and-forth opening to set one was broken up by the Spartans heading into the media timeout after a 3-0 run put MSU ahead 16-12 following consecutive kills by Anderson. Kulig got going offensively shortly thereafter with a kill and a block in a 5-1 Spartan run that put them in front 22-16 after a Muisenga ace. Kulig picked up another kill to put Michigan State on set point before a block by Moore sealed it, 25-19.
Solo stuff for Zuza!
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 23, 2024
Timeout Maryland. We lead 19-15!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/6LSe3BDtjD
Michigan State forced a Maryland timeout ahead of the media break in set two with a 7-3 run providing the Spartans with a 13-9 advantage following two kills by Preston. The Terrapins hung within three of MSU before a 6-2 Spartan run increased the Michigan State lead to 22-15. Moore had two kills and block over that stretch. Maryland battled back using a 4-0 spurt to trail 22-19 before their run was ended by Preston's 10th kill of the match. The Terps cut MSU's lead to one at 23-22 before a Spartan timeout reset the momentum and led to kills from Preston and Staniszewska finishing the frame, 25-22.
Karolina Staniszewska gives us set two, 25-22!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/isNhX7WxHD
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 23, 2024
The Spartans took an 11-9 lead in set three and never looked back after a 5-1 scoring run put them ahead. Moore had two of her match-high 12 kills in the run. A block by Staniszewska and Kulig prior to another Moore kill forced a Maryland timeout with the Spartans leading 19-14. The Terrapins cut the lead back down to four, 20-16, before a 4-0 Spartan swing killed any Maryland momentum left and put MSU on match point 24-16. Moore continued to make her presence felt in the final moments of the match with two kills and a block over Michigan State's final five points in a 25-18 set three victory.
Aliyah Moore sticks with it to give us a 10-9 lead in set three!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/hqWNhPzO4l
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) November 23, 2024
Team Stats
MD
MSU
Kills
33
45
Errors
17
13
Attempts
101
100
Hitting %
.158
.320
Points
45.5
62.0
Assists
33
40
Aces
6
6
Blocks
6.5
11
Game Leaders
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
4
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
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