Michigan State University Athletics
Saturday, September 5
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
at
Central Michigan
Photo by: Ynhi Le
Spartans Travel to Central Michigan for First Road Match of 2026 Saturday
9/4/2026 12:48:00 PM | Volleyball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -Â Michigan State volleyball travels to Mount Pleasant for its first true road match of the season this weekend, taking on Central Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. inside McGuirk Arena.
Saturday's match will stream on ESPN+. Fans can tune into Scott Moore's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for both matches.
The Spartans are 4-0 and on an 11-set winning streak after neutral-site sweeps of LSU (Sept. 1) and South Carolina (Sept. 2) earlier in the week in the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week. MSU hit at a .303 clip over its two matches, including a .463 clip against the Gamecocks, its best single-match hitting percentage as a team since hitting .475 against Oakland on Sept. 16, 2022. MSU held its opponents to a combined .047 hitting efficiency across its two matches.
After a 10-0 start in 2025, MSU is 4-0 to start the season in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011-12.
Individually, senior outside hitter Alanna Bankston totaled a team-best 25 kills over MSU's two matches, including a team and career-high 18 against South Carolina on .548 hitting. Senior outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska led MSU in kills against LSU with 14 and added a season and team-best 14 digs in MSU's win over the Gamecocks. Staniszewska currently leads MSU this season in kills (49) and kills per set (3.77).
MSU's middle blockers, senior Zora Hardison and junior Carmen Waye, put up a combined 1.67 and 1.33 blocks per set, respectively, over MSU's two matches. Hardison led MSU with five total blocks against LSU and Waye led with five against South Carolina. Waye also posted a season-high 11 kills against the Gamecocks on .688 hitting and recorded a team and career-best three service aces in MSU's win over LSU.
Redshirt sophomore setter Malayah Long led MSU in assists in both matches, providing 29 against LSU and 35 against South Carolina. She is averaging 10.15 assists per set so far this season.
About Central Michigan
Central Michigan is 0-4 this season and will play two matches against Illinois State before hosting the Spartans on Saturday evening.
The Chippewas lead the all-time series, 29-22-2, including an 11-3-1 record in Mount Pleasant. MSU has won seven-straight matches in the series, last falling to the Chippewas on Sept. 6, 1994 on the road. The two teams last met in a 3-1 home win for MSU on Sept. 18, 2021.
Head coach Arielle Wilson is in her second season leading Central Michigan. Wilson served as MSU's volunteer assistant coach during the 2018 season alongside then-MSU assistant coach Kristen Kelsay.
Up Next
MSU hosts Western Michigan on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. inside the Breslin Center. The match will stream on B1G+.
Saturday's match will stream on ESPN+. Fans can tune into Scott Moore's call of the action on MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app for both matches.
The Spartans are 4-0 and on an 11-set winning streak after neutral-site sweeps of LSU (Sept. 1) and South Carolina (Sept. 2) earlier in the week in the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week. MSU hit at a .303 clip over its two matches, including a .463 clip against the Gamecocks, its best single-match hitting percentage as a team since hitting .475 against Oakland on Sept. 16, 2022. MSU held its opponents to a combined .047 hitting efficiency across its two matches.
After a 10-0 start in 2025, MSU is 4-0 to start the season in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011-12.
Individually, senior outside hitter Alanna Bankston totaled a team-best 25 kills over MSU's two matches, including a team and career-high 18 against South Carolina on .548 hitting. Senior outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska led MSU in kills against LSU with 14 and added a season and team-best 14 digs in MSU's win over the Gamecocks. Staniszewska currently leads MSU this season in kills (49) and kills per set (3.77).
MSU's middle blockers, senior Zora Hardison and junior Carmen Waye, put up a combined 1.67 and 1.33 blocks per set, respectively, over MSU's two matches. Hardison led MSU with five total blocks against LSU and Waye led with five against South Carolina. Waye also posted a season-high 11 kills against the Gamecocks on .688 hitting and recorded a team and career-best three service aces in MSU's win over LSU.
Redshirt sophomore setter Malayah Long led MSU in assists in both matches, providing 29 against LSU and 35 against South Carolina. She is averaging 10.15 assists per set so far this season.
About Central Michigan
Central Michigan is 0-4 this season and will play two matches against Illinois State before hosting the Spartans on Saturday evening.
The Chippewas lead the all-time series, 29-22-2, including an 11-3-1 record in Mount Pleasant. MSU has won seven-straight matches in the series, last falling to the Chippewas on Sept. 6, 1994 on the road. The two teams last met in a 3-1 home win for MSU on Sept. 18, 2021.
Head coach Arielle Wilson is in her second season leading Central Michigan. Wilson served as MSU's volunteer assistant coach during the 2018 season alongside then-MSU assistant coach Kristen Kelsay.
Up Next
MSU hosts Western Michigan on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. inside the Breslin Center. The match will stream on B1G+.
Players Mentioned
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