Sometimes when a younger player beats out an older player for a starting position, team tension can arise.

But that hasn't happened with the MSU volleyball team.

When sophomore libero Marley Bellwood beat out senior libero Emmy Miller for the key defensive position, head coach Chuck Erbe had cause for concern. But he didn't panic.

"It's turned out to be a blessing in disguise for us," Erbe said.

Erbe made the decision to switch Miller to the defensive specialist position, so she would have the chance to serve. Volleyball rules prohibit the libero, a position only in its second year of existence, from serving.

"Emmy can score points with her serve," Erbe said, acknowledging Miller as the team's best server. "She did so in every rotation she served in this weekend."

Miller ended the weekend with four of the teams 13 service aces.

The ability to move Miller back to defensive specialist would not have been possible had Bellwood not improved her level of play at libero. Bellwood progressed over the summer so much, Erbe said he had no other choice than to work her into the lineup.

"The libero cannot score points for you," Erbe said. "It can only cost you points and keep you from having points scored."

But with a strong player like Bellwood in the libero role, Erbe has more flexibility and depth with substitutions.

"Marley is playing great in the libero position," Erbe said. "She is averaging four or five digs in every single game."

That type of consistency makes Erbe smile.

Focused

Last Friday night, MSU's match with South Carolina was everything Erbe thought it would be - hostile.

Erbe said the fans packing the gym occupied seats as close as 10 feet from the court.

"I think our players heard every four-letter word and then some," Erbe said.

The vocal fans and unfriendly environment didn't seem to bother MSU. The Spartans (5-0) disposed of the Gamecocks in four games.

Hardware holder

Senior middle Jenny Rood took home the MVP from the Carolina Classic.

Rood hit .409 with 11 kills against South Carolina on Friday, but she didn't stop there. She topped that effort with a .440 attacking percentage and 13 kills against then No. 17 North Carolina on Saturday.

It was the second straight week an MSU player has won the MVP award at a tournament. Junior outside hitter Kim Schram won the MVP at the Maryland Invitational.

All-Tournament teamers

MSU again had two players on the All-Tournament team, with senior Nikki Colson and Schram receiving the honors. Colson had 97 assists and 13 digs in two matches at the setter position and Schram had a lucky weekend with 13 kills in each match.

Last week, Rood and Colson were named to the Maryland Invitational All-Tournament team.

Movin' on up

MSU finally moved up in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Top 25, following another successful weekend.

The Spartans jumped up eight spots to No. 17 after spending the previous two weeks stuck in the No. 25 spot.

Keeping that ranking will be arguably just as hard as it was to move up. The Spartans face three top-17 teams in the U.S. Bank/Arby's Classic in Nebraska this weekend.

Big Ten update

After starting with five teams in the top 25, the conference now has four after Ohio State fell out of the rankings this week.

No. 9 Penn State (7-0) is the conference's highest ranked team with the seventeenth-ranked Spartans in second.

Despite getting off to an abysmal start, Minnesota (2-4) is still ranked No. 20. Wisconsin (4-2) rounds out the top 25 in the final spot.