EAST LANSING, Mich. – Rutgers volleyball set two school records on Saturday night in its match with Michigan State as Zora Hardison became the rally-era season solo blocks leader and Lexi Visintine served to the top of the rally-era season ace list.

The Spartans, however, were the team on top, taking the match, 25-12, 25-18, 25-22.
 

• Rutgers' middles junior Zora Hardison and sophomore Natalie Robinson combined for 20 kills and hit .594 on the night. Robinson swung away for a team-leading 11 kills and hit .588 with only one error on 17 attacks. Hardison, meanwhile, collected nine kills on 15 swings to hit .600.
• Hardison also became Rutgers' rally-era career solo blocks leader with her first solo stop in the first set, moving past Kristina Grkovic (2020-23). She led RU with four total blocks in the match, including a pair of solo blocks, boosting her career solo block total to 45. Hardison set the rally-era season solo block total earlier in the year and tops the list with 25 to date.
• Senior Lexi Visintine became Rutgers' rally-era season ace leader and put away double-figure kills for the third consecutive match with 10 kills. Visintine's ace early in the third set gave her 39 for the season, surpassing Tracy Wright (2013) for the record. Additionally, she moved into a tie for third in the Rutgers rally-era career leaders list with 94 in her four seasons "On The Banks". She needs six more aces to move into second on the list, past Inna Balyko (2018-21).
• Sophomore Alleigh Dutton set a new career mark in ace serving up a trio. She bested her previous high of two set across seven matches.
• Classmate Lily Bolen put up 31 assists to go along with six digs.

• SET 1 (21-25) | Zora Hardison became Rutgers' rally-era solo block career leader and an Alleigh Dutton ace capped a four-point burst for RU as they helped their squad to a 10-5 advantage to open.  Lexi Visintine kept Rutgers in front, 16-13, with one of her four kills of the frame, but the Spartans were able to claim the lead behind six unanswered. Down the stretch, the Scarlet Knights fought back to within a point. An Aspen Maxell attack saw RU down 21-20, but the Spartans outscored the Scarlet Knights 4-1 to close and take the frame.  Rutgers hit a match-best .333.

• SET 2 (18-25) | Rutgers closed the gap at the midway point after a 4-1 run saw the Scarlet Knights down 15-13 on the second ace of the day delivered by Dutton. Hardison and Visintine teamed up at the net to reject the Spartan attack for RU to trail 17-15, but Michigan State was able to grow its advantage down the stretch. Visintine and Robinson collected four kills each to lead the attack with only one error between their 17 attempts.

• SET 3 (22-25) | The Scarlet Knights came back from the break on a roll. Visintine became RU's rally-era season ace leader early in the frame, Dutton delivered her third ace of the night and Hardison & Maxwell teamed up at the net to put RU in front 11-5. Michigan State, however, came back using a 9-2 run to take a lead they would not relinquish. After the Spartans took a 19-14 advantage, the Scarlet Knights came back to within a point using a 5-1 run. Robinson and Visintine teamed up at the net for RU to trail 20-19, but Michigan State rattled off the next three and denied the Scarlet Knights from coming any closer.

• Rutgers volleyball is back home on Friday, Nov. 7, at Jersey Mike's Arena against Michigan and Sunday, Nov. 9, against Ohio State at the College Ave Gym.  Click here to purchase tickets for matches at Jersey Mike's Arena. Admission is free to the College Ave Gym.