It's a big weekend for the MSU volleyball team - in more ways than one.
The Spartans (18-8 overall, 10-6 Big Ten) not only play Minnesota and Iowa this weekend, but have parents' night and the honoring of former Spartan Erin Hartley on Friday and senior night on Saturday. Couple those things with the fact that MSU could lock up an NCAA tournament bid and be tied for second in the conference with Minnesota (19-9, 12-4) and Illinois (21-5, 12-4), and the weekend has much meaning.
"It's a huge weekend - we're down to the last four matches of the Big Ten," head coach Chuck Erbe said. "I hate to say that our Big Ten title aspirations are over, but it's pretty tough to win it with six losses. We've still got a lot to play for though; we're still battling for the NCAA."
The NCAA tournament has become the goal for MSU, knowing they first need to win a couple to get in. Also, if they can win out the rest of the season, they have a shot at getting a better draw.
Usually a team with 20 wins gets a tournament bid, and with the tough nonconference schedule MSU played, this Spartan team should be no different. The main thing for the Spartans is to win, get in the tournament and leave their placement to the hands of the committee.
"The team definitely wants to get into the tournament; that's been a tradition in our program, and it's something we're not planning on giving up," senior middle Jenny Rood said.
With 18 wins, victories over Minnesota and Iowa would cement a bid in the minds of the players and the coaches. Two triumphs would be nice for another reason as well - to send a great senior class out as winners.
For four years, setter and co-captain Nikki Colson, libero and co-captain Emmy Miller, defensive specialist Stephanie Knopp and Rood have given it their all to make MSU one of the better volleyball programs in the Big Ten conference.
They have been through all the big points, service runs, and victories over teams they weren't supposed to beat; they've laughed and cried together and formed unbreakable friendships. Like most athletes, however, it still hasn't hit the players that Saturday will be the last time they play a match at Jenison Field House.
"I'm definitely focused on what's left for the season, but it will be nostalgic playing one last time in Jenison with some of my best friends here at Michigan State," Miller said.
Erbe feels this senior group has brought unity to the MSU volleyball program and that the four will be missed for their work ethic and leadership on and off the floor.
"Nikki Colson, Emmy Miller, Jenny Rood and Stephanie Knopp have just been the heart and soul of our program for four years," Erbe said. "They've worked very hard to maintain that team chemistry that you have to have in order to be successful."
The Spartans will look to have success Friday and Saturday with matches beginning at 8 p.m. The ceremonies will take place before to each match.
The Spartans will again be without sophomore middle Brooke Langston, who has a broken finger. Erbe expects to be without her for the rest of the season but said she might return for NCAA tournament play.
