Saturday, November 30
Madison, Wis.
9 PM ET
Michigan State University
13-18,6-14Big Ten
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Wisconsin
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Photo by: Brittney Kimball
Volleyball’s Season Ends in Battle at #7 Wisconsin
12/1/2024 3:12:00 AM | Volleyball
MADISON, Wis. – Michigan State volleyball gave No. 7-ranked Wisconsin its best shot on Saturday night, falling 3-1 (25-19, 26-28, 25-19, 25-18) in a gritty loss at UW Field House.
MSU wraps up its 2024 season with an overall record of 13-18 along with a 6-14 mark in B1G action.
Senior libero Nalani Iosia's 17 digs on Saturday concludes her career with 1,466 digs in the Green & White, the third-most by a Spartan. Her 516 digs this season rank sixth in program history for a single season and her 4.57 digs/set is also sixth-best all time at MSU.
Junior outside hitter Taylor Preston paced MSU with 16 kills, while Spartan middle blockers Nil Okur and Zuzanna Kulig combined for 13 kills and one error on 25 swings to hit .480. Okur had seven kills, no errors on 10 swings. Sophomore outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska posted 16 digs to match her career-best, while senior setters Rachel Muisenga and Julia Bishop tallied 23 and 20 assists respectively.
MSU hit .144 for the match but posted a .280 hitting percentage in a set two victory.
Michigan State used an early 4-0 run to tie set one at 10-10 after kills by Anderson, Okur and Preston. Wisconsin rebounded with a 6-0 scoring stretch to lead 16-10, but MSU swung back after three consecutive points by Staniszewska brought the Spartans within three at 19-16. A Badger hitting error brough Michigan State within two late, 21-19, but Wisconsin scored the final four points of the set to take it 25-19.
The Spartans built a quick advantage in set two after a 3-0 run put them ahead 9-6 following a Preston kill. Both sides traded points through the middle of the frame before the Badgers tied the stanza at 16-16 to force an MSU timeout. Michigan State responded well out of the break, retaking a 19-17 lead with a Kulig kill. Wisconsin had two set points, but both were fended off by MSU on Preston kills. Preston took over late scoring MSU's last five points, all on kills, to win the second set 28-26 and tie the match at 1-1. Eight of Preston's 16 kills came in set two.
MSU got as close as two points, 10-8, in set three, before Wisconsin built a 21-12 lead over the Spartans heading into the late stages of the third. Michigan State found a spark late when a 5-0 run forced a Badger timeout. Preston started the run with back-to-back kills and a dig kill by Iosia highlighted the brief momentum shift. The Spartans fought off one set point on an Anderson kill, 24-19, before Wisconsin found the clinching kill.
Some early fourth set confusion saw Michigan State take a 4-1 lead. MSU hung within three of the Badgers mid-way through the frame, trailing 13-10 following a Kulig kill and 14-11 after Staniszewska found the floor. Preston's final kill of the night and a Badger hitting error helped the Spartans get back within four, 18-14, but it was followed by a 4-0 Wisconsin scoring stretch. MSU's middles got going late with Okur finding a pair of late kills and Kulig's final kill preventing the first match point.
MSU wraps up its 2024 season with an overall record of 13-18 along with a 6-14 mark in B1G action.
Senior libero Nalani Iosia's 17 digs on Saturday concludes her career with 1,466 digs in the Green & White, the third-most by a Spartan. Her 516 digs this season rank sixth in program history for a single season and her 4.57 digs/set is also sixth-best all time at MSU.
Junior outside hitter Taylor Preston paced MSU with 16 kills, while Spartan middle blockers Nil Okur and Zuzanna Kulig combined for 13 kills and one error on 25 swings to hit .480. Okur had seven kills, no errors on 10 swings. Sophomore outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska posted 16 digs to match her career-best, while senior setters Rachel Muisenga and Julia Bishop tallied 23 and 20 assists respectively.
MSU hit .144 for the match but posted a .280 hitting percentage in a set two victory.
Thank you to all of you Spartan fans for all your support this season 💚 you will forever be a part of Team 53's journey #GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/9tjbdvcL5c
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) December 1, 2024
Michigan State used an early 4-0 run to tie set one at 10-10 after kills by Anderson, Okur and Preston. Wisconsin rebounded with a 6-0 scoring stretch to lead 16-10, but MSU swung back after three consecutive points by Staniszewska brought the Spartans within three at 19-16. A Badger hitting error brough Michigan State within two late, 21-19, but Wisconsin scored the final four points of the set to take it 25-19.
Blocked by Staniszewska and Kulig!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/siDBP8flzM
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) December 1, 2024
The Spartans built a quick advantage in set two after a 3-0 run put them ahead 9-6 following a Preston kill. Both sides traded points through the middle of the frame before the Badgers tied the stanza at 16-16 to force an MSU timeout. Michigan State responded well out of the break, retaking a 19-17 lead with a Kulig kill. Wisconsin had two set points, but both were fended off by MSU on Preston kills. Preston took over late scoring MSU's last five points, all on kills, to win the second set 28-26 and tie the match at 1-1. Eight of Preston's 16 kills came in set two.
SET. SPARTANS.
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) December 1, 2024
Back-to-back kills by Taylor Preston gives us set two!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/nRgjjE15w6
MSU got as close as two points, 10-8, in set three, before Wisconsin built a 21-12 lead over the Spartans heading into the late stages of the third. Michigan State found a spark late when a 5-0 run forced a Badger timeout. Preston started the run with back-to-back kills and a dig kill by Iosia highlighted the brief momentum shift. The Spartans fought off one set point on an Anderson kill, 24-19, before Wisconsin found the clinching kill.
Dig kill! Iosia keeps the run going!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/d01gtPW8gV
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) December 1, 2024
Some early fourth set confusion saw Michigan State take a 4-1 lead. MSU hung within three of the Badgers mid-way through the frame, trailing 13-10 following a Kulig kill and 14-11 after Staniszewska found the floor. Preston's final kill of the night and a Badger hitting error helped the Spartans get back within four, 18-14, but it was followed by a 4-0 Wisconsin scoring stretch. MSU's middles got going late with Okur finding a pair of late kills and Kulig's final kill preventing the first match point.
Taylor Preston goes through the block to chip away at the Badger lead!#GoGreen | #SetTheStandard pic.twitter.com/StgP71cTAa
— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) December 1, 2024
Team Stats
MSU
Wisc
Kills
51
59
Errors
28
20
Attempts
160
149
Hitting %
.144
.262
Points
60.5
83.0
Assists
47
54
Aces
3
7
Blocks
6.5
17
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
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