Sunday, September 22
Chapel Hill, N.C.
1 PM
Michigan State University
7-4,0-0Big Ten
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North Carolina
8-1,0-0ACC
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Michigan St.
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North Carolina
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Photo by: Brittney Kimball
Volleyball Wraps Non-Conference Slate against Tar Heels
9/22/2024 4:20:00 PM | Volleyball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Wrapping up non-conference action on Sunday afternoon, Michigan State fell to North Carolina, 3-1 (25-18, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20), at Carmichael Arena. The Spartans were on their final match of a four-match week that started in Ypsilanti, Mich. on Monday night.
MSU moves to 7-4 overall while North Carolina improves to 8-1 ahead of Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Spartans will kick-off B1G action next Friday, September 27 at Michigan.
Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig continued her strong week of play in the front row finishing with a match-high eight blocks. Kulig concluded the week with 24 total blocks (1.71/set) and added eight kills Sunday on .500 hitting (8-0-16). Junior middle blocker Evie Doezema hit double-digit kills for the second time this season with 10 kills on 16 attempts to hit .562 (10-1-16). Doezema had an incredibly efficient week hitting .647 with 36 kills and two errors on 51 attempts.
Fifth year libero Nalani Iosia posted a match-high 22 digs, while senior setter Rachel Muisenga tallied her second double-double of the week with 17 assists and 11 digs. Senior setter Julia Bishop led with 20 assists. Sophomore Taylah Holdem chipped in a team-best 11 kills.
The Spartans were narrowly bested in hitting (.269-to-.238) and kills (57-to-52). MSU out-blocked UNC 12-to-8.
North Carolina built a 7-3 lead early in set one and held it throughout the remainder of the frame. A block by Anderson and Kulig late in the stanza brought Michigan State back within three points, 19-16, but that's the closest the Spartans would get late. UNC ended the set on a 6-2 run. Kulig continued her strong blocking weekend with three blocks in the first.
Michigan State found its groove in set two hitting .444 to even the match at one set apiece. UNC tied things up at 9-9 to force a Spartan timeout, but MSU got out of the break on a 9-3 run to force North Carolina's second breather. An ace by Bishop out of the timeout kept the Spartan momentum going to give MSU a 19-12 advantage. Michigan State continued its hot attacking hand late in the second with five more kills to go on set point before a UNC setting error ended things.
The Spartans battled back from a 14-11 deficit mid-way through the third set utilizing a 5-1 run to gain a narrow 16-15 advantage on a kill by Holdem. North Carolina came out strong from a timeout, but a successful Spartan challenge put MSU ahead 19-17 late. UNC used that to fuel a 3-0 run of its own, but a block by Kulig and Holdem tied the fourth at 20-20. The Tar Heels ended set three on a 5-2 run.
MSU continuously found itself pulling within two points of North Carolina in the fourth after trailing 11-6 early. A kill from Anderson brought the Spartans within two points at 13-11, and back-to-back kills from Doezema and Preston had MSU within striking distance at 16-14. When UNC went back ahead by four, a Spartan timeout sparked a 3-1 run using kills from Holdem and Kulig, but MSU trailed 19-17. Another Kulig kill pulled the Spartans to a 20-18 deficit, but North Carolina would close things out on a 5-2 run to seal the match.
Up Next
Michigan State opens B1G play next weekend taking on Michigan in Ann Arbor at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27. The Spartans will then travel to University Park, Pa. to take on No. 3-ranked Penn State at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 29.
MSU moves to 7-4 overall while North Carolina improves to 8-1 ahead of Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Spartans will kick-off B1G action next Friday, September 27 at Michigan.
Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig continued her strong week of play in the front row finishing with a match-high eight blocks. Kulig concluded the week with 24 total blocks (1.71/set) and added eight kills Sunday on .500 hitting (8-0-16). Junior middle blocker Evie Doezema hit double-digit kills for the second time this season with 10 kills on 16 attempts to hit .562 (10-1-16). Doezema had an incredibly efficient week hitting .647 with 36 kills and two errors on 51 attempts.
Fifth year libero Nalani Iosia posted a match-high 22 digs, while senior setter Rachel Muisenga tallied her second double-double of the week with 17 assists and 11 digs. Senior setter Julia Bishop led with 20 assists. Sophomore Taylah Holdem chipped in a team-best 11 kills.
The Spartans were narrowly bested in hitting (.269-to-.238) and kills (57-to-52). MSU out-blocked UNC 12-to-8.
North Carolina built a 7-3 lead early in set one and held it throughout the remainder of the frame. A block by Anderson and Kulig late in the stanza brought Michigan State back within three points, 19-16, but that's the closest the Spartans would get late. UNC ended the set on a 6-2 run. Kulig continued her strong blocking weekend with three blocks in the first.
Michigan State found its groove in set two hitting .444 to even the match at one set apiece. UNC tied things up at 9-9 to force a Spartan timeout, but MSU got out of the break on a 9-3 run to force North Carolina's second breather. An ace by Bishop out of the timeout kept the Spartan momentum going to give MSU a 19-12 advantage. Michigan State continued its hot attacking hand late in the second with five more kills to go on set point before a UNC setting error ended things.
The Spartans battled back from a 14-11 deficit mid-way through the third set utilizing a 5-1 run to gain a narrow 16-15 advantage on a kill by Holdem. North Carolina came out strong from a timeout, but a successful Spartan challenge put MSU ahead 19-17 late. UNC used that to fuel a 3-0 run of its own, but a block by Kulig and Holdem tied the fourth at 20-20. The Tar Heels ended set three on a 5-2 run.
MSU continuously found itself pulling within two points of North Carolina in the fourth after trailing 11-6 early. A kill from Anderson brought the Spartans within two points at 13-11, and back-to-back kills from Doezema and Preston had MSU within striking distance at 16-14. When UNC went back ahead by four, a Spartan timeout sparked a 3-1 run using kills from Holdem and Kulig, but MSU trailed 19-17. Another Kulig kill pulled the Spartans to a 20-18 deficit, but North Carolina would close things out on a 5-2 run to seal the match.
Up Next
Michigan State opens B1G play next weekend taking on Michigan in Ann Arbor at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27. The Spartans will then travel to University Park, Pa. to take on No. 3-ranked Penn State at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 29.
Team Stats
MSU
UNC
Kills
52
57
Errors
17
18
Attempts
147
145
Hitting %
.238
.269
Points
65.0
69.0
Assists
47
55
Aces
1
4
Blocks
12
8
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
S
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