Today in East Lansing, two Michigan schools took part in a double header that will likely be the last Michigan v. Michigan games prior to the Michigan Dodgeball Cup (MDC).
Michigan State played host to Grand Valley in the second doubleheader of the season for these two teams.
The results from the doubleheader are as follows:
MSU def GVSU 2-1 (OT)
GVSU def MSU 3-0
Here are my picks for the most notable players from today’s matches:
Michigan State’s impact performers (in no particular order):
- Colin O’Brien – Colin’s first game back was not too shabby. He wasn’t consistently dominant throughout the two games today, but when the game was on the line he made huge plays. In overtime, down 2 players to one, Colin recovered from a balls over by making a catch on a team throw. After his teammate was eliminated, O’Brien was able to take out Ben Tubergen in a 1v1 to secure the victory for the Spartans. Clearly the addition of O’Brien will be a big boost for MSU.
- Wes Peters – Not Wes’s best performance of the season, but he still is worthy of recognition because he was a big part of MSU’s offense. Wes was a key part of MSU’s comeback in game 1. Game 2 seemed a bit more frustrating for the veteran MSU player as he was given a yellow card in his team’s 3-0 loss.
- Anuj Vyas – Speaking of giving cards out, Anuj had to sit out most of the second game after getting a red card in the first half. I won’t go into detail on the incident, but I will say that prior to the card, Anuj was having a solid day. His throw has improved significantly over the years, and he came up with some big catches today, especially in game 1.
- Lucas Salinas – Alex Zajac and Lucas Salinas were two other performers for MSU who had a big impact on the game. I give the nod to Lucas because he was a bit more consistent, while Zajac had more of an up and down day, throwing more catches than he is used to. Lucas has improved a lot over the past two seasons. He will be crucial to MSU’s success going forward, as he is one of their top throwers.
Grand Valley State’s impact performers (in no particular order):
- Ben Tubergen – I’ll start by saying that Ben did not get the job done in the biggest moment of game 1. There is no denying that. He had a chance to get GVSU a victory but it slipped away. With that being said, this guy showed why he should be in the discussion for an All-American spot this year. At one point, I think Ben made 4 of the final five hits for GVSu as they closed out a point. He seems like a true x-factor for the Lakers. When Ben plays well, they are a dominant team. When Ben underperforms, GVSU struggles as well.
- Aaron Terenzi – Speaking of x-factors, the same can be said about Aaron Terenzi. With GVSU Captain Brandon Meisel out with an injury, Aaron was counted on to step up. He had both good and bad moments today, but overall when he is playing well, it is a huge catalyst for the Lakers offense. GVSU is significantly more dangerous when Aaron is on the court. AS a veteran player for GVSU, look for him to have a solid second half to the season, as GVSU goes for a 5-Peat.
- Ray Franklin –Ray had an up and down day. He made some fantastic plays, but also got out too often. Overall, I came away from today realizing that Ray is quickly emerging as a crucial part of GVSU’s offense. He also made an appearance on their overtime roster, and after a balls over he was MSU’s first target. That says a lot about what he has proven. Easily one of the most talented players on the court, Ray is poised to have a strong second half to the season.
- Brad Delhey – I could’ve given this spot to a number of guys. Logan Rohloff has emerged as a very important piece for GV, Daniel Jilote had a stellar second game, and Aaron Krafft was consistently making big plays. With all of that said, I need to give the nod to Brad Delhey who had some unreal catches in game 2. He used is tall, lanky frame to make some catches that nobody else on the court would have been capable of making. Delhey is just a rookie for GV, but his performance in game 2 will be a big stepping stone for him going forward.
