Net Results: Big Ten Volleyball Week 11

Welcome to the second edition of Net Results, and thanks for reading! Last weekend boasted relatively few big matches for the Big Ten, and no upsets. Nevertheless, conference standings were affected by last weekend's play, and B1G volleyball fans were treated to a couple of gems. Let's get to it!

Quick Hits

• The Big Ten's dominance of the rankings continues this week. Nebraska is again unanimously #1, with Minnesota and Wisconsin continuing to round out #2 and #3, respectively. (Seriously, the top three teams in college volleyball are in the Big Ten--that's incredible!) Penn State comes in an #10, moving up in spite of losing their fourth match in a row over the weekend, Michigan State comes in at #15 and Michigan at #17. Ohio State falls out of the rankings, but is still receiving  votes, along with Illinois, Iowa, and Purdue.
• They ain't played no one, Pawwwwwwwwl! But, they have. Wisconsin has the third-toughest schedule in the country. Purdue's strength of schedule ranks fourth, Minnesota's fifth, OSU is eight, and Michigan ninth.
• Players of the Week: Player of the Week honors go to Autumn Bailey of Michigan State, who had 23 kills over the weekend. Co-Defensive Players of the Week are Alyssa Garvelink of MSU, who had 14 blocks on the week, and Amber Rolfzen of Nebraska, who had 17 blocks on the week and wins this honor for the fifth time in her career. Setter of the Week is Kelly Hunter of Nebraska for the sixth time in her career.

Game Results

Friday, November 4

• Michigan 3 - Illinois 1
• MSU 3 - Northwestern 0
• Iowa 3 - Rutgers 0
• Nebraska 3 - PSU 2: In what was easily the match of the weekend (no brag, just fact ;) ), Nebraska and Penn State battled as hard as expected in a thrilling five-set match in State College. Penn State took the first set 25-22, and then Nebraska stormed back to take the second and third, 25-17 and 25-23. PSU evened it up with a 25-23 fourth set. Nebraska won the fifth 15-11, somewhat anticlimactically on an overturned official review. The match was a huge one for Nebraska, as they continue nearly perfect in play this year, with a loss to OSU the only blemish on their record, and maintain a one-game lead over Wisconsin in the conference standings. For PSU, it was a nearly unprecedented fourth-in-a-row loss.

Saturday, November 5

PSU 3 - Iowa 0: PSU rebounded from the tough loss the night before by sweeping Iowa.

MSU 3 - Illinois 0

Indiana 3 - OSU 1: For a team that started conference play in fine shape, OSU is in a tailspin of late, with this loss knocking them out of the rankings. Since upsetting Nebraska at the beginning of October, the Buckeyes have lost seven of the last ten. However, for Indiana, a team traditionally toward the bottom of the conference, this is an encouraging win, especially paired with their 3-1 win over Michigan the previous weekend. Like Iowa, Indiana looks to be making some small steps toward working their way up the conference pecking order.

Michigan 3 - Northwestern 1

Nebraska 3 - Rutgers 0

Wisconsin 3 - Purdue 2: The weekend's other goodie of a game, saw #3 Wisconsin fight off Purdue in five sets for the second time this season. After winning the first two sets 25-22 and 26-24, the Badgers saw Purdue win the third 25-22, and then, in a horrific (for Wisconsin) fourth set, 25-16. However, Wisconsin rallied in the fifth and put the Boilermakers away 15-10.

Sunday, November 6

Minnesota 3 - Maryland 0

Next Serve

There's a nice slate of mid-week games tonight, as well as the usual weekend action. Tune in if you can!

Wednesday, November 9

Indiana at #17 Michigan (7 pm ET) This is the only televised game on BTN this week, because BTN thinks it's more important to air meaningless exhibition basketball games and shows about burgers on campuses than nation-leading volleyball. So if you want to watch a match this week and don't have access to BTNplus, this is it.

Purdue at #15 MSU (7 pm ET)

Iowa at #1 Nebraska (8 pm ET)

Friday, November 11

#10 Penn State at Maryland (7 pm ET)

Rutgers at Ohio State (7 pm ET)

Wisconsin at Illinois (8 pm ET)

Saturday, November 12

#1 Nebraska at Indiana (7 pm ET)

#17 Michigan at #15 MSU (7 pm ET) This could be a very good match!

#10 Penn State at Ohio State (7 pm ET)

Iowa at Purdue (7 pm ET) With the way Iowa has been playing, this could be a sneaky hard game for Purdue.

#2 Minnesota at Illinois (8 pm  ET)

#3 Wisconsin at Northwestern (8 pm ET)

Sunday, November 13

Rutgers at Maryland (12 pm ET) Rutgers has precious few chances for a win this season, and this is one of them.

#2 Minnesota at Northwestern (8 pm ET)

Thanks for reading!