Michigan
Michigan State
Michigan to Travel to Face Michigan State on Friday, Minnesota on Sunday
11/13/2024 11:46:00 AM | Volleyball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team (16-9, 6-8 Big Ten) will travel to East Lansing and Minneapolis. The Wolverines will first play Michigan State (9-16, 2-12 Big Ten) on Friday (Nov. 15) at 6 p.m. before facing No. 16 Minnesota (16-8, 9-5 Big Ten) at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday (Nov. 17). Both matches will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
Notes
• The Wolverines faced difficulties this past weekend with losses to Ohio State and No. 9 Purdue. On Nov. 8, they fell to the Buckeyes in a close five-set match at Cliff Keen Arena, where Jacque Boney led with a career-high 16 kills. Michigan then lost in straight sets to Purdue on Sunday, with Valentina Vaulet contributing 20 kills.
• In her senior season, Boney has been a standout at the net. She has recorded 185 kills on a .303 hitting percentage and 86 total blocks (seven solo, 62 assists). Boney ranks third on the team in kills and second in blocks this season. She has totaled 232.5 points this season, bringing her career total to 970.5. Boney recently reached 750 career kills and ranks seventh in program history with 380 total career blocks.
• With 1,438 career assists, including 950 this season, Morgan Burke ranks 13th all-time in program history. This season, she is averaging 10.11 assists per set, ranking sixth in the Big Ten and 44th nationally. In total assists, Burke is third in the conference and 36th in the nation. She has also contributed 24 service aces and 230 digs, both second on the team.
• Ella Demetrician has made an impact in her freshman season, recording 163 kills and 148 digs. She is one of three Wolverines with triple-digit kills and digs. Among power four conference players, she is one of 25 averaging over 1.90 kills per set and one of seven in the Big Ten. Demetrician has started 11 straight matches after missing three starts earlier in conference play.
• Vaulet has excelled this season, particularly behind the service line, with 54 aces, ranking second in the Big Ten and ninth nationally. Her 54 aces place her seventh in program history for single-season aces. She has also contributed 264 kills, 182 digs, and 50 blocks, ranking in the top three on the team in all categories.
• Libero Maddi Cuchran has appeared in every set this season, leading the team with 365 digs and averaging 3.88 digs per set. She ranks fourth in the Big Ten in total digs and fifth in digs per set. Cuchran has also recorded 102 assists and 19 service aces, ranking second on the team in both categories. She has surpassed her career total entering the season with 221 digs in her first three seasons combined.
• Serena Nyambio is having a strong season with a team-leading .362 hitting percentage and 1.01 blocks per set. Nyambio ranks eighth in the conference in hitting percentage and is one of nine players hitting over .350. She has recorded 175 kills, 13 solo blocks, and 78 block assists this season. Nyambio recently surpassed 400 career kills and now sits at 418.
• Michigan State is 9-16 overall and 2-12 in the Big Ten. The Spartans' conference wins came against Rutgers and No. 16 USC. Michigan trails in the all-time series with Michigan State 51-55 but has won eight of the last 10 matchups, including a sweep earlier this season.
• No. 16 Minnesota is 16-8 overall and 9-5 in the Big Ten. Four of the Golden Gophers' five conference losses were to ranked teams, with the other to unranked Washington. Michigan trails 17-61 in the all-time series but last defeated Minnesota in 2021. Earlier this season, the Wolverines lost to the Gophers in straight sets.
