MINNEAPOLIS – Michigan State volleyball fought tooth and nail in a four-set loss (15-25, 25-23, 16-25, 20-25) at Minnesota on Sunday afternoon inside Maturi Pavilion.
The Spartans move to 13-8 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten with the loss, while Minnesota improves to 10-8 overall and 6-4 in B1G action.
Freshman outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska led MSU with 11 kills and set a new career-high with three blocks. Staniszewska recorded her second double-double of the season adding 10 digs. Freshman outside hitter Taylah Holdem joined Staniszewska with a double-double of her own posting 10 kills and 11 digs, her sixth of the season.
Making her first career start, freshman middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig had nine kills on .350 hitting along with a team-high five blocks. Junior setter Julia Bishop led the Spartans in assists with 22 and junior setter Rachel Muisenga added 18 along with a career-high nine digs. Senior libero Nalani Iosia led all players with 15 digs.
Minnesota out-hit MSU .218 to .119 and were led by McKenna Wucherer’s 17 kills. Melani Shaffmaster had 35 assists and 14 digs, and Arica Davis led all players with eight blocks. Taylor Landfair posted a double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs.
The Golden Gophers built a 7-1 advantage from the jump and never looked back in set one. Michigan State pulled to within three points early, 7-4, but the Golden Gophers would use a 9-1 run to build an insurmountable 16-5 lead over MSU in the first. Michigan State out-scored Minnesota 10-9 over the remainder of the frame, but the Golden Gophers took the set 25-15.
Michigan State bounced back to…
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