MSU cheers after winning a point in the first set during the MSU v Iowa volleyball game at the Breslin Event Center in East Lansing on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
For the second straight weekend, Michigan State volleyball was pushed to its limits — and responded with composure. The win now pushes the Spartans to 13-2 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play.
“Every win in the Big Ten is a solid win,” said head coach Kristen Kelsay. “It’s our first time being up 2–0 and then losing the next two sets,” Kelsay said. “I was proud of the way we responded in the fifth — especially compared to how we did against Illinois. A lot of what we talk about is how you respond, and to come out and win that fifth set as convincingly as we did shows real improvement.”
The Spartans took control early, powered by a balanced offense and steady serving in the opening two sets. Evie Doezema and Carmen Waye formed a sturdy wall at the net, combining for four blocks and 20 kills, helping the Spartans hit an impressive .293 overall for the match. MSU cruised through the first two sets, 25–20 and 25–15, while limiting Iowa’s hitting and forcing nine attack errors during that span.
But the Iowa Hawkeyes clawed back. Led by Carmel Vares (13 kills) and Chard’e Vanzandt (12 kills), Iowa capitalized on Michigan State’s errors to steal a tight third set, 25–23. The momentum continued in the fourth, as the Hawkeyes took advantage of miscommunications on MSU’s side to claim the frame, 25–21 — tying the match at two sets apiece.
“We just needed to limit our errors,” Kelsay said. “We killed seventeen balls in that third set — made eight errors. It’s really hard to beat a team when you’re giving them that many points.”
That talk reset the tone. In the decisive fifth set, the Spartans jumped ahead 8–3 with strong serves from Lia Schneider, who also led the team with 13 digs, and quick sets from Long that allowed Kulig and Doezema to finish efficiently. The Spartans closed the door with a 15–7 win, punctuated by a final kill from Doezema off a Long assist.
Kelsay praised the group’s ability to regroup under pressure.
“I’m frustrated it got to that point, but I’m really proud of the way they responded,” she said. “Sometimes you have to win it in a fifth set like that when things aren’t going your way — and that’s a really important thing for us.”
Friday’s match was also the team’s Domestic Violence Awareness Game, with representatives from the MSU Center for Survivors honored on court to a standing ovation.
Michigan State continues its homestand on Sunday, Oct. 12, when it hosts Indiana at the Breslin Center.
