The definition of aggressive is "having or showing determination and energetic pursuit of your ends," as described at dictionary.com.
It's a word the No. 22 MSU volleyball team hopes to live by for the rest of the season.
Through the Spartans' first seven games in the conference, there was something missing.
A 3-4 record had coaches, players and fans questioning what had happened to the high preseason expectations which lifted the team to three tournament championships and an 8-2 record after the nonconference.
A players-only meeting after being swept by Illinois on Friday resulted in a spirited and determined effort Saturday night. The effort paid off with a 3-0 win of their own against Northwestern.
It wasn't just that MSU (12-6 overall, 4-4 Big Ten) had won the match but also that the Spartans' style of play as well as the attitude before, during and after the match noticeably was different.
"I think on Saturday, we really took charge, took control of our actions," senior libero Emmy Miller said.
"The team took accountability for what was happening and made the decision to make a change."
The attitude change is something MSU must continue this weekend in matches at Iowa (5-13, 0-8) and No. 25 Minnesota (13-7, 6-2). The Spartans need two wins to stay in the Big Ten conference race.
A loss, especially to Minnesota, would be devastating in the Spartans chances to capture the 2003 Big Ten title. Head coach Chuck Erbe feels the Big Ten championship is a wide-open race, and any of the seven teams at .500 or better can win it.
"There (are) seven teams kind of in a logjam right now," Erbe said. "There doesn't seem to be any one major dominant team. A team that gets hot and starts to jell could rise to the top and cause a lot of problems."
Although all road matches in the Big Ten are tough, MSU already disposed of Indiana and should take care of Iowa on Friday night. Not only has Iowa lost all eight of its Big Ten matches, but it has been swept 3-0 in each of those matches.
The game some MSU players circled at the beginning of the season is the Minnesota game. The Golden Gophers were the 2002 Big Ten champions with a 17-3 and were the preseason favorites this year.
"I remember looking at the schedule before the season started and thinking how our game against Minnesota, the last match of the first half, would be a huge match," Miller said.
"At the time, I thought we would be more equal with them in the standings, but we're not that far off at the same time."
Minnesota struggled to a 7-5 nonconference start but have somewhat righted the ship going 6-2 and sharing the conference lead with three other teams.
A win over the Gophers would not only give MSU more confidence but reinforce the newfound attitude
"Staying aggressive will be our main point this weekend and throughout the rest of the season," sophomore middle Brooke Langston said.
"The way that we play best is emotionally, and we're just trying to carry that into our Big Ten matches now."
The Spartans hope to bring that emotion and new style of play to Iowa City and Minneapolis this weekend. It might be the only hope left of saving their season and gaining momentum heading into the conference's second half.
