AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Week #6 Poll (Oct. 13, 2014)
2014 NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 7 (Oct. 13, 2014)

After sweeping the third-ranked team in the country on Saturday afternoon, the University of Minnesota Duluth firmly entrenched itself as the No. 2-ranked team in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Coaches poll this week and will look to defend that spot in three home matches this week beginning with Bemidji State University on Tuesday afternoon.

Also announced today, junior outside hitter Mariah Scharf and junior setter Ashley Hinsch each received Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Week honors. Scharf received the first Offensive honors of her career while Hinsch received her fourth Setter of the Week nod in five weeks.

No. 2 UMD (17-1, 10-0 NSIC) has won 11 straight and lost just one set since its only loss of the year at the hands of the top-ranked team in the nation, the University of Tampa, back on Sept. 13. The Bulldogs gained four first-place votes, though Tampa still holds each of the other 44. Other NSIC teams ranked in this week's poll include No. 3 Concordia University, St. Paul, which stays put despite the loss to the Bulldogs. Southwest Minnesota State University, the only team to knock off top-ranked Tampa, moves up one spot to No. 6. No. 12 Wayne State (Neb.) College and No. 20 Augustana (S.D.) College round out the NSIC representation. Northern State University falls out of the top 25 but remained among the teams receiving votes on multiple ballots.

QUICK HITS
• NSIC Setter of the Week Ashley Hinsch led a Bulldog offense that hit .314 in a pair of three-set sweeps over the weekend. She averaged 14.00 assists per game (84 in total) and added three kills and a block to her 44 assists in Saturday's win over Concordia. Her 14.00 mark led all NSIC setters by two per game.
• Offensive Player of the Week Mariah Scharf hit .418 on the weekend with 28 kills. She knocked down 17 kills on 31 swings with just one error late in the third set against Minnesota State. Senior right-side hitter Maddy Siroin had had 12 kills on Saturday against Concordia while also adding four service aces vs. the Golden Bears. UMD was tough on the net all weekend with nine blocks, but junior middle blocker Monica Turner led the way with six blocks including two solo, both against CU.
• Senior outside hitter Katie Ledwell hauled in a team-high 13 digs last Friday night against Minnesota State University. It marked the first time that any Bulldog besides senior libero Julie Rainey had led the Bulldogs in defensive saves since the first match of last season, when Ledwell had 23 digs against Wheeling Jesuit. Rainey reclaimed the reins on Saturday against Concordia with 18.

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS (Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7:00 p.m.) - Live Stats | Live Video
• Bemidji State (3-15, 1-9 NSIC) has not had much luck in the month of October, dropping four straight since the turn of the calendar and six straight overall.
• Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Yost leads the Beaver attack with 3.16 kills per set, while senior middle blocker Rachel Craig tops the team in hitting percentage at .261. Senior setter Courtney Volkmann averages 8.74 assists per set in her 15 matches ranking her ninth among NSIC setters. BSU has hit just .175 as a team this season, but held opponents to a .221 average.
• The team averages 15.56 digs per set, led by junior libero Kayla DeJong who averages 4.55 herself - good for seventh-most in the NSIC.

Head coach Jim Boos warned that BSU presents challenges for every team, even if their record hasn't reflected it thusfar. "He brought in a couple of nice, big hitters a couple years ago that are sophomores and present some challenges. They have a senior setter who is crafty and likes to attack, which keeps things interesting. They're a team that, although their record may not be where they want it to be, has given some teams trouble. Up at their own place, they took Augustana to five and had a chance to win that match. It's one of those matches where, with the little amount of prep time you have and coming off of a big weekend, you certainly have to get ready quickly and change your mindset over to that opponent right away."

BULLDOG 'BYTE
"We're glad it's at home - that eliminates some of the challenges with traveling. We've run into some trouble on those Tuesday night road matches just because you're on the road right away again and preparation is tough [with the quick turnaround]." - Coach Boos on the specific challenges teams face with Tuesday night matches added to the NSIC schedule

UMD Homecoming week begins with the Bulldogs and Beavers on Tuesday night at Romano Gym. Opening serve is set for 7:00 p.m.