Upstart Spartans Return Home for Green & White Classic
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State volleyball program is set to welcome Oakland, Chicago State and Evansville to East Lansing this weekend for the Green & White Classic. Michigan State will host six matches over the course of two days from the Breslin Center as the Spartans take on Oakland on Friday, Sep. 16 at 6:30 p.m., Chicago State on Saturday, Sep. 17 at 10:00 a.m. and Evansville on Saturday, Sep. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
All matches from the Green & White Classic will be streamed live on B1G+. Radio broadcasts will be available on MSUSpartans.com and on the Spartan Media Network.
THE OPPONENTS
Oakland is 3-9 this season with wins over Akron, Southern Indiana and Cornell. The Golden Grizzlies have lost four consecutive matches heading into the weekend, recently dropping a close 5-setter to Queens University (20-18 fifth set). Oakland is coached by first-year head coach Krista Rice, who was a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan State from 2012-2014.
Oakland ranks No. 8 nationally in digs per set at 17.50, while Emily Wichmann is No. 10 in DI with 5.40 per set and No. 9 in total digs (189). Patti Cesarini is No. 25 in DI with 11.54 attacks per set. Cesarini averages 3.40 kills per set on .198 hitting.
Three setters see frequent time for Oakland with AnnaBelle Tomei (4.87), Madison Ross (3.42) and Rachel Rossman (4.53) all averaging more than 3.00 assists per set. Jessica Riedl leads the team in total blocks (16).
Chicago State is 3-6 this season with wins over Indiana State, Eastern Illinois and Central Michigan. The Cougars are coming off of a 3-1 win over CMU on Saturday, Sep. 10. CSU is coached by Tony Trifonov in his third season.
The Cougars are headlined by All-American Yanlis Feliz, an outside hitter from the Dominican Republic. Feliz is No. 5 in Division I in points (190), No. 5 in total kills (162), No. 13 in points per set (5.28) and No. 14 in kills per set (4.50). Feliz is hitting .204 on 416 total attacks.
Chicago State runs a 5-2 with Yunju Lee and Laclyn Inclan handling the setting. Lee leads the team with 5.26 assists per set compared to a 4.33 for Inclan. CSU ranks No. 18 nationally in total blocks (93) and are led by Mesalina Severino’s 33. A total of four Cougar…
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