EAST LANSING- After a loss to Indiana on Friday, the Michigan State Spartans will travel 130 miles to West Lafayette to face one of the top teams in the country, the 10th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers.
Last season, Michigan State lost both games to the Boilermakers, making them 3-7 in their previous 10 matchups. Purdue has built a three-game winning streak from their recent success against MSU, extending their all-time series lead to 58-33.
The Spartans are looking to recover from their recent struggles, as they are currently on a four-game losing streak. As a result, the Spartans record has fallen to 7-7 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten as they head into their fifth straight road game, aiming for their first conference win.
Purdue’s season has been quite different from the Spartans, as they hold an 11-3 record with a 2-1 conference record. Winning their last two matchups, one of them being a road win against the 16th-ranked Minnesota. It was their second ranked win as they’ve faced five ranked teams thus far.
The key to an upset win for the Spartans offensively will be junior outside hitter Taylor Preston. She has been on fire in the last two games, recording a career-high 18 kills against Penn State and 11 more against Indiana. Her recent performances have made her MSU’s most efficient attacker in conference play, with a hitting percentage of .242.
Defensively, sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig and senior libero Nalani Iosia are the duo to watch. Iosia has racked up 220 digs this season, ranking third in the Big Ten, and is coming off a standout game with 20 digs against Indiana.
Kulig has been a force at the net, with 68 blocks, 10 solo blocks, and 58 block assists, all ranking her in the top five in the Big Ten. She is also looking to stay hot after recording seven blocks against Indiana.
The key for Purdue in avoiding an upset will be strong play from senior middle blocker Raven Colvin, who has been the heartbeat of their offense and defense. She has recorded 205.5 points this season and leads the team with 52.5 points in conference play.
As the leader of the defense, she has recorded 86 blocks, including 13 solo blocks and 73 block assists. She leads the Big Ten in all three categories and ranks third in the nation for total blocks.
Two of the best blockers in the Big Ten will share the court in what promises to be a tough matchup for an MSU team trying to turn its season around; however, they are battle-tested. Competing against third-ranked Penn State in Happy Valley last weekend may have prepared them for this challenge.
Michigan State will attempt to pull off a road upset against Purdue in Holloway Gymnasium, aiming for their first ranked win of the season on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Looking for a spark before returning to the Breslin Center for the first time since Sept. 17 for a rematch against Penn State.
