Minnesota and Michigan look to improve

Ranked fourth in the Big Ten Women's Volleyball standings, Minnesota will enter the seventh week of Conference play looking to bounce back after they dropped their most recent of 12 matches played so far this season. The seventh week of action begins on Wednesday and continues until Sunday, with 14 matches scheduled to take place.

Minnesota's home match against Michigan on Friday, set to start at 7:30 PM ET / 12:30 AM UTC is one of two duels to be broadcast without any territorial restrictions on Volleyball TV this week.

The match will carry extra weight for the Golden Gophers, who saw their four-match undefeated streak end at the hands of Wisconsin on Saturday. Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, Minnesota, who currently have eight wins and four losses, had topped Michigan State 3-0.

Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Landfair leads the team's offence with 324 kills while junior Melani Shaffmaster tops the setter position with 765 assists.

For Michigan, last week also included ups and downs, but ended on a positive note. The Wolverines fell to rivals Ohio State 3-0 on Wednesday but swept in-state opponents Michigan State on Sunday, winning both of the encounters between the two sides this season. The team are now ranked tenth in the Big Ten with five wins and seven losses.

Junior outside hitter Jess Mruzik has been Michigan's leading scorer in the season so far, with 274 kills registered. In defence, junior libero Hannah Grant leads the way with 317 digs.

The second match to be broadcast without any territorial restrictions this week will see Rutgers take on Penn State on Sunday, at 12:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM UCT.

Sitting at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, the Scarlet Knights have a single victory in 12 matches this season and dropped their ten most recent encounters, including last week's duels with Indiana and Illinois. Despite the team's inconsistent play, Australian freshman outside hitter Alissa Kinkela has been a revelation for Rutgers and has registered 216 kills and 42 blocks so far in the season.

Seven-time national champions Penn State will also want to leave last week behind as the Nittany Lions dropped both their matches to Illinois and Ohio State and now rank sixth in the Big Ten with six wins and six losses. Graduate outside hitter Kashauna Williams has been Penn State's most productive player so far this season with a team-high 267 kills.

The duels between Penn State and Maryland (Wednesday, at 7:00 PM ET / 12:00 AM UTC), Nebraska and Indiana (Wednesday, at 9:00 PM ET / 2:00 AM UTC) and Michigan State and Purdue (Friday, at 6:00 PM ET / 11:00 PM UTC) complete this week's offering on Volleyball TV for subscribers outside specific North and Central America locations.

Big Ten Conference matches on Volleyball TV - This week's schedule

November 2

Penn State vs. Maryland (7:00 PM ET / 12:00 AM UTC)**

Nebraska vs. Indiana (9:00 PM ET / 2:00 AM UTC)**

November 4

Michigan State vs. Purdue (6:00 PM ET / 11 PM UTC)**

Minnesota vs. Michigan (7:30 PM ET / 12:30 AM UTC)*

November 6

Rutgers vs. Penn State (12:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM UTC)*

*Matches available internationally

**Matches available outside the USA, Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Curacao, DR-Hato Mayor, DR-Higuey, DR-St. Maarten, Granada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Nevis, Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Tortola, Tortuga, Turks, Caicos, U.S. Virgin Islands.