There is much at stake when the MSU volleyball team faces off against intrastate rival Michigan at 7 p.m. today at Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor.
The two teams sit back-to-back in the Big Ten standings, with Michigan (16-7 overall, 8-4 Big Ten) tied for fourth place with Illinois and MSU (15-7, 7-5) alone in sixth place. With a win, MSU would tie Michigan for fifth place and bring the Spartans closer to the top of the Big Ten.
"It is a huge match for both teams, for us to close the gap between sixth and fourth and also for them to expand the gap," head coach Chuck Erbe said. "I'm not underestimating what they have to gain, either."
The Spartans have found their winning ways, coming out on top in four of their last five matches. MSU is soaring with confidence after its first two-win week in the conference this past weekend, beating Indiana and Purdue.
"The past weekend really brought our confidence back, and I think that will carry over to this week," sophomore middle Brooke Langston said. "To face Michigan again, it will be interesting to see how they deal with us. We're a more bonded team now, and we each know our roles and I don't think they'll know how to handle that."
MSU is pleased with the timing of the match, being that it's one of the two matches MSU plays midweek all season. MSU's other midweek battle was also against U-M on Wednesday, Oct. 1, which resulted in a 3-0 U-M sweep at Jenison Field House.
This time around, the Spartans come off two wins that have boosted their team spirit. After suffering the loss of junior outside hitter Michelle Kopka to a back injury one match before the U-M match in October, the team now has had more than a month to adjust to that loss, and every player is comfortable with her new position.
"Of course it's nice to have a weekday match to split up the weekend and keep our mind focused on the match against Michigan," sophomore setter Mickey Davis said. "As long as we play like we did this past weekend, we'll be fine."
One of the challenges for MSU will be dealing with the environment of Cliff Keen Arena. A wood floor, tight walls, the band and the size all make the Arena a difficult place to play.
"It's a big match," Davis said. "It's Michigan, it's at Michigan and that band is always so loud. But I think we're ready."
To help his team deal with some of those issues, Erbe scheduled the Spartans practice at the IM Sports-West gym, which is similar to Cliff Keen Arena. Any edge the Spartans can gain by practicing in a similar place or similar conditions could help them win at Michigan for the first time since 1998.
"It's been a while since we've won there," senior libero and co-captain Emmy Miller said. "We do have a lot of animosity. We want to get revenge here."
For Miller and her fellow seniors, setter and co-captain Nikki Colson, middle Jenny Rood and defensive specialist Stephanie Knopp, this is the last chance they will have to get a win over their intrastate rivals.
The Cup
This is the final game/match between Michigan and MSU for the fall semester in the challenge for the Pontiac Challenge Cup. U-M has won all the matchups in every sport between the two schools. The fall sports have included men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football and the first volleyball match.
The winter sports for the Pontiac Challenge Cup points are men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's basketball, wrestling, gymnastics and ice hockey.
