Michigan derby highlights Big Ten week four

Another round of Big Ten volleyball action is set to begin on Wednesday, when the first two of 14 matches to be played in the fourth week of the Conference calendar will be held.

Volleyball TV will broadcast five of these matches live and on demand. Two duels will be available without any territorial restrictions.

Subscribers from around the world will be able to watch the in-state duel between Michigan State and Michigan live. It will take place on Friday, October 14, at 7:00 PM ET / 11:00 PM UTC, in East Lansing. The two universities are located just 100 kilometres from each other and have a big rivalry in several sports.

Michigan State's Spartans (10-8 for the season) have lost their last three matches, including last week’s encounters with Nebraska and Minnesota, and will try to improve their current Conference record of 1-5 against their in-state rivals and move up from their 11th place in the Big Ten. Outside hitters Maradith O’Gorman (freshman) and Aliyah Moore (sophomore) have been the team’s top offensive players with 199 points scored each, while Turkish freshman middle blocker Nil Okur leads the way in blocks with 47.

Michigan's Wolverines (12-4 for the season) had an equally difficult third week, also falling to Minnesota and Nebraska at home, but are in a better spot than their opponents, ranking seventh in the Big Ten with three wins and three losses. Junior outside hitter Jess Mruzik (the team’s leading scorer with 234 points), senior setter Maddie Dowd (who has 373 assists) and junior libero Hannah Grant (who leads the team in digs with 226) are among their individual standouts.

On Saturday, the featured match on Volleyball TV will be the one reuniting Ohio State and Rutgers and will start at 5:00 PM ET / 9:00 PM UTC in Columbus, Ohio.

The Ohio State Buckeyes (9-5 for the season) are undefeated in their last four matches, ranking fourth in the Big Ten Conference with five wins and one loss. Senior setter Mac Podraza, who was awarded as the Big Ten Setter of the Week in the last two weeks, and senior libero Kylie Murr, who has 202 digs this season and now ranks second in programme history, have been leading the team to a solid campaign.

The Scarlet Knights (7-11 for the season), on the other hand, currently sit at the bottom of the Big Ten Conference with a single win in six matches and have lost their last four encounters. Junior middle blocker Tina Grkovic, who has tallied 133 kills and 59 blocks so far in the season, and junior libero Madyson Chitty, who has produced 180 digs already, will be key players as Rutgers try to start turning things around this week.

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

October 12

Minnesota vs. Ohio State (8:00 PM ET / 12:00 AM UTC)**

October 14

Michigan State vs. Michigan (7:30 PM ET / 11:30 PM UTC)*

Nebraska vs. Penn State (8:30 PM ET / 12:30 AM UTC)**

October 15

Minnesota vs. Illinois (4:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM UTC)**

Ohio State vs. Rutgers (5:00 PM ET / 9:00 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.