EAST LANSING, Mich. – Spartan volleyball completed an undefeated home-opening weekend on Sunday afternoon, capping off the 2024 Kathy DeBoer Invitational presented by Auto-Owners Insurance with a 3-1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23) victory over Loyola Chicago at the Breslin Student Events Center.
“Any time you can start with wins on your home court that’s going to bode well for the season,” said Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson. “It’s important to me that we protect the Green & White while we’re here at home and I thought the team rallied around each other. We used a lot of different players this weekend, and to still come away successful and not get rattled by all the change I thought was positive.”
MSU improves to 4-2 overall on the season entering a short week in which they’ll have just two days to prepare for Western Michigan, who rolls into town on Wednesday night following a 3-1 victory over No. 24-ranked Marquette on the road in Milwaukee. The Broncos are 3-2 this season coming off a 31-3 campaign in 2023.
Junior outside hitter Akasha Anderson was named Tournament MVP, with senior libero Nalani Iosia and junior outside hitter Taylor Preston garnering All-Tournament Team honors.
Anderson led Michigan State with 39 kills over the weekend, hitting .258 along with 19 digs, nine blocks and five service aces. On Friday night Anderson’s 14 kill, 11 dig performance helped the Spartans to a 3-1 victory over receiving votes Western Kentucky.
Iosia averaged 5.09 digs per set over three matches and was third on the team with 19 assists. Preston added 31 kills on .254 hitting, leading the…
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