University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Heads to Michigan State and Michigan
9/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The Minnesota volleyball team will begin Big Ten play on the road against Michigan and Michigan State. The Golden Gophers will face the Spartans on Friday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. (CT) at the Breslin Center. Minnesota will then travel to Ann Arbor to face No. 22 Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. (CT).
Minnesota enters the week ranked No. 14 in the nation in the AVCA Top 25 and are No. 14 in the nation. The Gophers are led by Tabi Love who has 3.95 kps, 2.07 dps and 0.69 blps. Ashley Wittman has 3.57 kps, 3.40 kps and 0.67 as she prepares for her first career Big Ten action. Tori Dixon has 1.15 blps and 2.33 kps, while Ariana Filho has 1.06 blps and 1.57 kps.
Stephanie Nucci is averaging 11.03 aps, 2.03 dps and 0.53 blps, while Mia Tabberson has 10.38 aps, 1.19 dps and 0.50 blps. Junior libero Jessica Granquist leads the team and is second in the Big Ten with 4.81 dps. Minnesota is also the only team in the conference to be in the top five in five of the six categories listed on the Big Ten report (hitting percentage, assists, blocks, opponent hitting pct., kills and service aces).
Michigan State enters the week with an 8-3 overall record and has won four of their last five matches heading into Big Ten play. Last week, the Spartans won in three sets at Toledo on Sept. 17. Earlier in the week, Michigan State defeated Oakland in four sets on Sept. 14. The Spartans are led by Megan Schatzle who has 3.35 kps and 1.08 dps, while Becca Zlabis has 2.45 kps and 2.62 dps. Alexis Mathews leads the Spartans in blocks with 1.21 blps. Natalie Emro (6.97 aps, 1.62 dps and 0.92 blps) and Kristen Kelsay (4.94 aps and 1.45 dps) are Michigan State’s two setters, while Allyson Karaba leads the team with 4.10 dps.
Last year, the Golden Gophers won a pair of five-set matches over the Spartans. Minnesota won in five sets at home on Oct. 23 and rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win in five sets at Michigan State on Nov. 21.
Michigan enters the weekend with an 11-1 overall record and is No. 22 in this week’s AVCA Top 25. The Wolverines won the ASU Sheraton Tournament last week by defeating Arizona State (3-1), Pacific (3-1) and Utah (3-1). Michigan is led by Alex Hunt who has 4.41 kps, 2.24 dps and 0.64 blps. Jennifer Cross has a team-high 1.25 blps and 2.06 kps. Lexi Zimmerman is also averaging 10.40 aps, 1.60 kps, 2.76 dps and 0.50 blps, while Sloane Donhoff has a team-high 3.92 dps.
The Golden Gophers lead the series 48-12 overall but have lost the last four meetings on the road to the Wolverines. Minnesota has won 12 home matches in a row against Michigan dating back to Sept. 26, 1997. Last year, the Gophers won in four at home on Oct. and lost in three at Ann Arbor on Nov. 20.
