Monday, May 6, 2024

Sports | Volleyball

VOLLEYBALL

Despite loss, Spartans have hope for future

Despite having a young team this season, the MSU volleyball team will be stacked with talent next season, as it will return its top eight point-scorers while losing only one senior. “Losing Heather (McDaniel) is really hard — just because she’s such a great leader and she has a lot of heart and she’s so inspiring to all of us, but we’re going to come on strong next year,” sophomore libero Allyson Karaba said.

VOLLEYBALL

Young team falls short

There was an outside shot at getting into the NCAA Tournament when the MSU volleyball team began play Saturday against No. 12 Minnesota. Halfway through the fourth set it looked almost possible. The Spartans needed to win both of this weekend’s matches and have Indiana lose both of its matches to slide into the sixth spot in the Big Ten and have a shot at getting into the NCAA Tournament.

VOLLEYBALL

MSU volleyball team clings to NCAA Tournament aspirations

It’s not over ‘til it’s over. That’s the attitude the MSU volleyball team is taking into the last two weeks of the regular season. The team (14-13 overall, 6-10 Big Ten) still holds an outside chance of making the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid and is looking to take every opportunity to slip into the Big Dance.

VOLLEYBALL

Spartans hoping not to overlook rivals U-M, Ohio State

Momentum isn’t something the MSU volleyball team has had for a while. Heading on the road this weekend for games against No. 19 Michigan and Ohio State, the team is looking to build on the last two weeks, where it beat then-No. 25 Wisconsin, Indiana and took No. 1 Penn State to the brink in two sets.

VOLLEYBALL

Undefeated Penn State on tap for struggling Spartans

Though playing No. 1 Penn State is never easy, MSU volleyball head coach Cathy George said her team needs to go after the defending national champions. “You need to be aggressive,” George said. “It’s more about the way you go about playing them, and that’s what I’m looking forward to, to challenge them at every step.”

VOLLEYBALL

George wants volleyball team to keep relaxing

Last weekend, volleyball head coach Cathy George told her team it needed to loosen up. The team, riding a four-game losing streak and just coming off an embarrassing 3-0 loss at home to then-No. 19 Illinois, was playing stiff and wasn’t bringing its unique personalities to the court, George said.

VOLLEYBALL

MSU drops both weekend games

The MSU volleyball team suffered another rough weekend, losing to No. 19 Illinois and No. 18 Purdue. The Spartans, on a five-game losing streak, have now fallen to 11-10 on the season and 3-7 in the Big Ten. The team struggled mightily against Illinois on Friday, falling quickly in three sets (25-17, 25-18, 25-17). MSU seemed overmatched, as Illinois used long rallies in the middle of all three matches to open up insurmountable leads.

VOLLEYBALL

Wisconsin sweeps MSU volleyball at Jenison Field House

The MSU volleyball team suffered its first home loss of the season on Saturday, getting swept 3-0 by No. 21 Wisconsin. “I thought we were playing fairly well at times but we didn’t kick it in at the right times,” head coach Cathy George said. “We have to learn how to close things out.”

VOLLEYBALL

Team looks to snap 2-match losing streak

After a tough weekend that saw the team lose two conference games, including a drubbing by No. 1 Penn State, the MSU volleyball team is looking to get back on track at home. The season’s first conference road trip didn’t go as planned. The team snapped its 10-game winning streak, losing 3-1 to Indiana and 3-0 to Penn State. The losses move them to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten.

VOLLEYBALL

4 Spartans honored by Big Ten for efforts last week

After being named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for three straight weeks, senior running back Javon Ringer wasn’t able to earn a fourth one this week. Ringer racked up 198 yards on 44 carries and recorded a touchdown in the Spartans’ 42-29 victory over Indiana on Saturday, but didn’t do enough to win over Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bacher.

VOLLEYBALL

Spartans bust Breslin

Drawing more than 9,000 fans at Breslin Center during the weekend, the MSU volleyball team set the school’s single-game attendance record while picking up a pair of 3-1 victories over Ohio State and No. 21 Michigan. Aided by more than 1,500 students, many coming from the Izzone campout at Munn Field, the goal to “Bust Breslin” was achieved when the team drew 5,335 fans to Saturday’s matchup against U-M.