EAST LANSING- Michigan State volleyball travels to Evanston Friday night to take on Northwestern as both teams look for their second win in conference play this season. 

The Spartans have gotten off to a hot start under first-year head coach Kristen Kelsay, starting 11-1 and 1-1 in conference play.  The Spartans are coming off Kelsay’s first signature victory last Saturday, sweeping rival Michigan in three sets at the Breslin. 

The Spartans have had multiple key contributors on the offensive front this season.  Junior outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska leads the team in kills with 125, with senior opposite hitter Evie Doezema right behind her at 123.  Redshirt freshman setter Malayah Long has made an immediate impact as well.  Long leads the team with 461 assists, fourth in the Big Ten.  Long also leads the Spartans with 18 aces. 

On the defensive front, junior libero Lia Schenider leads the Spartans with 117 digs while sophomore middle blocker Breccan Scheck leads with 37 blocks.  Look for these two to make key plays to keep points off the board and keep the ball in the air. 

For Northwestern, it’s also been a strong start to the season, as the Wildcats hold a record of 11-3.  The Wildcats are 1-1 in conference play, coming off a home victory against Oregon on Sunday, needing all five sets to come out on top. 

Senior outside hitter Rylen Reid has been the leading point-getter for Northwestern, racking up 165 kills on the season.  The other offensive star for the Wildcats has been Senior setter Lauren Carter, who leads the team in assists with 292.  Carter also leads the team in aces with 21, fifth in the conference.    

Defensively, there have been two key faces for Northwestern this season.  Junior libero Drew Wright leads the Wildcats in digs with 111, while Freshman middle blocker Kayla Kauffman leads the team with 47 blocks. 

The Spartans’ last matchup against Northwestern came on November 27, 2024.  This match saw Michigan State take home the victory in four sets.  The Spartans have a winning record against Northwestern in their history but have a losing record on the road.  MSU is looking to add to their two-game winning streak at Northwestern and go to 2-1 in conference play. 

The match will be played on Friday at the Welsh-Ryan Arena, with a start time of 8 p.m. ET.  The game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.