Three MSU volleyball players earned all-Big Ten honors this week.Junior outside hitter Kim Schram was named to first team all-Big Ten, and senior setter Nikki Colson and senior middle Jenny Rood won honorable mention."It's good for the team to have players recognized," Schram said.
Screams rang through the walls inside Champp's restaurant in Eastwood Towne Center in Lansing Township on Monday night as the MSU volleyball team found out it was going to the NCAA tournament.The MSU volleyball team doesn't have to travel far.
After going all season without losing two matches in a weekend, the MSU volleyball team was swept for the first time by Northwestern and Illinois this past weekend.The Spartans (19-11 overall, 11-9 Big Ten) were hoping to win at least one match before heading into the NCAA Tournament, but were unable to accomplish their goal.On Sunday evening, the Spartans found out they will host the first and second round of the NCAATournament.
As the MSU volleyball team closes its season on the road at Northwestern and No. 18 Illinois, they will focus on getting healthy and playing well in preparation for the NCAA Tournament."I think that win (over Iowa) pretty much puts us in the NCAA Tournament, especially with the schedule that we've played," head coach Chuck Erbe said.
Every team has injuries, but for the MSU volleyball team, most have come over the past two weeks. Senior setter Nikki Colson, senior middle Jenny Rood, junior outside hitter Sara Villwock and sophomore middle Brooke Langston have all sat out because of injuries. "It's hard when you come into practice and your starting setter is sitting out, your starting M1 (middle) is not dressed for practice and your L2 (leftside hitter) is wearing a boot," head coach Chuck Erbe said. Colson has had tendinitis in both knees and shin splints in one leg, but the problems have gotten worse over the past two weeks. Rood has been dealing with shin-splint problems as well, but it has become a big problem for her when she jumps and lands.
A weekend split nearly guarantees the MSU volleyball team a spot in this year's NCAA Tournament. Similar to basketball, 20 wins is the mark most teams shoot for to "lock up" an NCAA Tournament bid.
The MSU volleyball team tied its longest win streak of the season and then had that streak snapped the next night. A 3-1 victory over Ohio State (10-13 overall, 4-11 Big Ten) on Friday night gave the Spartans (18-8, 10-6) their fifth win in a row.
The MSU volleyball team has been a capable blocking team all season long. It wasn't until the past four matches that the Spartans really have became consistent in their blocking.
As the cold weather sweeps in from outside, the MSU volleyball team has begun to heat up inside gyms around the Big Ten. The Spartans (17-7 overall, 9-5 Big Ten) continued their winning ways on the road, beating Wisconsin, 30-26, 21-30, 22-30, 30-25 and 15-8.
There is much at stake when the MSU volleyball team faces off against intrastate rival Michigan at 7 p.m.
The sigh of relief heard this weekend came out of Jenison Field House from the MSU women's volleyball team. The Spartans won two matches in a weekend for the first time since Sept.
The MSU volleyball team is where it always seems to be at this point of the season - in the middle of the pack.The Spartans are 5-5 in conference play, tied for sixth with Purdue, right about where they have been the past couple of seasons.
As the MSU volleyball team gets ready to start the second half of the Big Ten season, it only needs to look back to last weekend's play for confidence.For the first week in the Big Ten, the Spartans (13-7 overall, 5-5 Big Ten) did not lose a match 3-0.
For the fifth straight weekend, the No. 22 MSU volleyball team split its weekend matches.
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.
Despite all the ups and downs, the No. 22 MSU volleyball team still is in the running for this year's Big Ten title. The Spartans (12-6 overall, 4-4 Big Ten) not only need a win, but also must win more than one game in a row.
Oops, they did it again.For the third straight weekend, the No. 18 MSU volleyball team was lost the first night but recovered to win on the second.The Spartans (12-6 overall, 4-4 Big Ten) are being consistent, but it's not the consistency head coach Chuck Erbe has been looking for.
The Spartan volleyball team enters the weekend in a do-or-die situation - win two and survive or the alternative.The No.
If the old adage "You're only as good as your last game" is true, then the Spartans look like one of the top teams in the Big Ten. The only problem - they're not. In each of the MSU volleyball team's two-match, nonconference weekends, the Spartans went on the road and swept both games.
West Lafayette, Ind. - The No. 16 MSU volleyball team continues its roller-coaster ride through the season. For the third straight week, MSU (11-5 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) split its two matches.