Spartan Stadium | Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Stadium | Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State volleyball secured a decisive victory over Iowa, winning 3-0 in their match at Xtream Arena. The Spartans overcame a challenging first set to dominate the subsequent sets, with scores of 27-25, 25-13, and 25-14.
"We stayed composed in a tight first set and continued to execute our gameplan," said Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson. "That allowed us to really break things open in sets two and three. We've invested in being better as a group these last two weeks and you're seeing that pay off in the results."
This win extends Michigan State's winning streak to three matches, improving their record to 11-16 overall and 4-12 in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa's record now stands at 10-18 overall and also 4-12 in the conference.
Key performances came from junior opposite hitter Akasha Anderson and junior middle blocker Evie Doezema, who each recorded seven blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig contributed five blocks and led with two service aces during the second set. Junior outside hitter Taylor Preston led the team offensively with 11 kills.
Senior libero Nalani Iosia had a standout performance with 12 digs, while senior Julia Bishop led the team with 14 assists.
Michigan State's defense was effective, holding Iowa to a hitting percentage of -.020, marking it as one of the lowest opponent outputs against them this season. The Spartans out-blocked Iowa significantly with a total of 12.5 blocks compared to Iowa's four.
The match began competitively, with Michigan State narrowly taking the first set after extra points were needed. A strong blocking performance helped them gain an advantage despite trailing early on.
In the second set, Michigan State used a significant scoring run to establish dominance over Iowa. Kulig's service performance was instrumental during this period.
The third set mirrored the second as Michigan State again pulled away from Iowa following another substantial scoring run.
Michigan State will return home for upcoming matches against Oregon and Maryland at the Breslin Center next week.
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