A rash of injuries have left the No. 23 Spartans dealing with more physical pains then they’d like to this season.
For the second straight weekend and fifth straight game, junior outside hitter Sara Villwock was sidelined nursing an injured left foot.
Prior to Villwock’s injury, she led the team with 113 kills total, she also was the team’s biggest defensive threat, digging 3.29 balls per game.
Her presence has been felt on the bench, but it has lacked on the floor - where the Spartans have been hurting. MSU has lost it’s last two contests while playing possibly its worst volleyball of the season.
“We are struggling without Sara Villwock,” head coach Chuck Erbe said. “I’ll make no bones about that. She’s a significant player not to have in our lineup, and we’ve been so inconsistent lately that it is a big concern.
“But I’m looking for good news this week on Sara. She’s been feeling significant healing to where she can at least begin practicing again, but I don’t see her in the lineup this weekend.”
The Spartans also have experienced what Erbe has called “manageable” injuries.
Junior setter Nikki Colson has played with shin splints since high school and hasn’t missed a game. Senior outside hitter Kyla Smith has been battling a shin splint in her left leg for the past week, but she too has played through the pain.
The Spartans are sitting in the middle of the Big Ten with both opponents this weekend, No. 18 Wisconsin and Northwestern in the upper echelon of the conference. Erbe said he’s willing to do whatever it takes to right the ship.
“I’ve been considering making some changes this week,” Erbe said. “We have to right this ship.”
One of the biggest changes would be moving junior middle Jenny Rood to the outside. Rood played the outside hitter position as a freshman, and MSU’s outside attack has been struggling. But moving Rood could leave a hole in the middle of the court.
“I feel comfortable with all of my teammates, it doesn’t matter who is playing where,” senior middle Angela Morley said. “But it will definitely be nice to get Sara back and get back to the lineup we started with.”
Rankings
Despite going 0-2 last weekend, the Spartans only fell five spots in the AVCA/USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll from No. 18 to No. 23. They are one of four Big Ten teams ranked in the poll.
“If you think about it, rankings don’t mean anything,” Morley said. “I don’t even look at rankings because if you think about it, especially in the Big Ten, any team can beat any other team.”
Big Ten flip-flop
Preseason polls don’t necessarily predict what the final standings will be, and the Big Ten standings through three weeks can prove it.
Ohio State started the season ranked ninth in the nation and were predicted to be the Big Ten’s best this year. Through three weeks, the Buckeyes have fallen out of the polls and are sitting next to last in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin and MSU were predicted to finish second and third behind the Buckeyes and they are sitting fifth and sixth at the moment.
The teams taking their place are Minnesota, Michigan and Northwestern, schools picked to finish sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
