Michigan
Michigan State
Michigan Heads to Michigan State for B1G Rivalry Match
11/15/2018 12:00:00 PM | Volleyball
THIS WEEK
Saturday, Nov. 17 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 6:30 p.m.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team (19-9, 8-9 B1G) will wrap up a two-match road swing on Saturday (Nov. 17) with a Big Ten matchup at Michigan State. Though just three regular-season matches remain, the contest will mark the first meeting between the two teams this year. First serve is slated for 6:30 p.m. inside Jenison Fieldhouse, and the match will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
Rivalry Week
With just three matches to go in the regular season, Michigan and Michigan State will meet twice in eight days. The Spartans will first host the Wolverines on Saturday (Nov. 17) in East Lansing, which will mark their first meeting this season. Following midweek matches on Wednesday (Nov. 21) in which the Wolverines will face Northwestern, while MSU will play host to Illinois, Michigan will close out the regular season at home against Michigan State inside Crisler Center (Nov. 24).
Big Ten Standings
With an 8-8 record in conference action, Michigan sits in eighth place in the Big Ten. Following a perfect 11-0 run through non-conference play to kick off the season, all of Michigan's losses have come against Big Ten opponents. Minnesota, which boasts a 16-0 conference record, is the conference's remaining unbeaten team.
Maize and Blue on the Road
The Wolverines are 7-4 when playing on the road this season, with all four road losses coming in Big Ten action. The Wolverines' first road loss -- a 3-1 setback at then-No3. Nebraska (Sept. 21) -- also marked their first loss of the regular season and snapped an 11-match win streak. Since then, the Wolverines have dropped contests at then-No. 7 Illinois (Oct. 19), unranked Indiana (Oct. 31) and No. 7 Penn State (Oct. 14).
Scouting the Opposition
Michigan State Spartans
All-time series against: U-M trails, 53-43
After dropping their first contest of the year at Tennessee, the Spartans rallied for a 12-match win streak to close out the non-conference portion of the season. Michigan State got off to a slow start in Big Ten action and dropped 11 of its first 14 matches in conference play. The Spartans are coming off a 3-2 win at Rutgers on Wednesday (Nov. 14), and despite a 5-12 Big Ten record, Michigan State ranks third in the conference in service aces (1.52 per set) and fourth in blocks (2.63 per set).
Graduation Success Rate Data Released
The Wolverine volleyball team was one of 11 University of Michigan athletic programs to earn a perfect 100 percent four-year Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the NCAA's 2018 report released Wednesday (Nov. 14). The overall four-year average GSR of 93 percent marked a school record.
Skjodt Leads the Offense
Senior outside hitter and team co-captain Carly Skjodt has been the Wolverines' go-to hitter this season with a team-leading 4.20 kills per set, which ranks third in the Big Ten. As a six-rotation player, Skjodt has posted nine kill-dig double-doubles this year and ranks third on the team with 2.57 digs per set.
Libero Lerg Anchors the Defense
Senior libero Jenna Lerg ranks second in the Big Ten Conference with 5.07 digs per set. Coming into the week, her 5.16 digs/set ranked 32nd in the nation. The Michigan native has recorded an impressive 24 double-digit dig performances this season and has led the Wolverines in digs in 23 of 28 matches, while she has finished with 20 or more digs on 10 separate occasions.
Michigan and the AVCA Coaches Poll
Following an 0-2 week that included losses to unranked Maryland (Nov. 7) and No. 6-ranked Nebraska (Nov. 10), the Wolverines dropped four spots in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top-25 ranking this week to check in at No. 19 with 459 points. Michigan began the year as the second team outside of the top-25 preseason poll with 153 votes, but has been ranked in each poll since a 2-0 showing at the War Eagle Invitational to kick off the season.
U-M Ranked 20th in Latest RPI
The Wolverines dropped to No. 20 in the latest RPI ranking, which was released by the NCAA on Monday (Nov. 12). Michigan is ranked the seventh-highest of the Big Ten schools, behind Illinois (No. 2), Minnesota (3), Wisconsin (6), Nebraska (12), Purdue (13), and Penn State (17). Eight Big Ten schools rank in the top-50, while five are in the top-16. The NCAA announced the first edition of the RPI on Oct. 1, with the Wolverines coming in at No. 11.
