A split with Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foes on the road this past weekend, the University of Minnesota Duluth checked in at No. 6 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll Monday. The Bulldogs swept Sioux Falls University on Friday before being blanked for the first time in 53 games to Southwest Minnesota State University. Minnesota Duluth (13-2, 6-1 has been ranked in the sixth position for the last three weeks.

The Bulldogs once again are stacked as the third best team in the conference according to the poll. Seven teams from the NSIC appear on the list with two others weighing in with receiving votes. Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia University, St. Paul hold the top two rungs on the ladder, which is how they have matched up every week. Northern State University and Winona State University are also next to one another; however, they switched spots as the Wolves moved up to 13. Augustana University stays at 17 and Wayne State College bumps up to one slot to 21. Sioux Falls and Upper Iowa University each received 25 votes but ranked outside the top-25. SMSU, who is one of six teams undefeated, garnered 47 of the 48 first-place votes. California Baptist University, who gathered the other top-nod tally, jumped ahead of UMD to No. five.

The Bulldogs, whom are 2-1 against top-25 action, have two games on the slate at Romano Gymnasium this weekend. Minnesota State University, Mankato visits Friday night before the Bulldogs encounter No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul Saturday afternoon.

Full AVCA Top 25 Week 5 Poll
 

Rank	Team	Points	Record	Previous Rank
1	Southwest Minnesota State (47)	1199	15-0	1
2	Concordia-St. Paul	1149	14-1	2
3	Lewis	1089	14-1	3
4	Palm Beach Atlantic	1048	12-0	4
5	California Baptist (1)	964	13-0	7
6	Minnesota Duluth	939	13-2	6
7	Ferris State	882	13-2	8
8	Central Oklahoma	858	18-1	9
9	Nebraska Kearney	798	15-2	5
10	Regis	707	14-1	11