The University of Minnesota Duluth will conclude its five-match homestand this weekend with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match-ups as the Bulldogs celebrate Homecoming weekend.

No. 2 UMD (18-1, 11-0 NSIC) has won nine straight sets on the homestand and 11 straight overall since dropping its first set of the NSIC season on Oct. 4 against Upper Iowa University. The Bulldogs will put the streak on line with the University of Mary and Minot State University in town this week.

QUICK HITS
• UMD junior setter Ashley Hinsch has been outstanding on the Bulldogs' currently homestand. She led the nation with 14.00 assists per set over the weekend, earning NSIC Setter of the Week honors for the fourth time this season, and improved on that Tuesday night against Bemidji State with 15.33 assists per frame. Hinsch is quickly approaching 3,500 for her career and needs just 38 this weekend to claim seventh place all-time in UMD history at 3,514 in just two and a half seasons. The program record, held by Katie Ganglehoff ('08), is 6,035.
• Speaking of record holders, senior Julie Rainey, already the Bulldogs' top statistical libero, is averaging 5.33 digs per set - in line with her career average. With her 2,172 career digs, she could still potentially crack the top-25 all-time in NCAA II if the Bulldogs make an extended postseason run. While UMD's run of sweeps has been impressive, it's limited Rainey's chances. She'd need 549 on the season to reach 2,384, and currently has 337 with 10 regular season matches and postseason play remaining in 2014.
• Junior outside hitter Mariah Scharf reached a milestone of her own over the weekend with 500 kills. With 230 on the season, she's on pace to surpass her career total of 289 entering this season. Junior middle blocker Monica Turner sits 22 kills away from 750 for her career, while senior outside hitter Katie Ledwell and sophomore middle blocker Sydnie Mauch could postentially each hit the 400-kill milestone this weekend with 391 and 381, respectively.

SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS (Friday, Oct. 17, 7:00 p.m.) - Live Stats | Live Video
• U-Mary (3-17, 0-11 NSIC) won its final non-conference match-up but has dropped 11 straight matches since starting the NSIC season. The Marauders have won just a single set since the start of conference play.
• A pair of Laurens lead the attack for U-Mary: senior outside hitter Lauren Boldt and freshman outside hitter Lauren Randall. Boldt is averaging a team-high 2.49 kills per set while Randall has 2.15 in her first collegiate go-around. Senior middle blocker Allison Adams has been tough on the net with 54 blocks this season, 0.89 per set and is third on the team in kills. Sophomore setter Janell Frinkbauer has played the majority of sets for U-Mary and averages 5.61 per frame.
• Sophomore libero Alex Brown is sixth in the NSIC with 4.67 digs per set, but as a team, the Marauders rank next-to-last with 13.74.

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS (Saturday, Oct. 18, 4:00 p.m.) - Live Stats | Live Video
• Minot State (4-15, 2-9 NSIC) stumbled in the fifth set against Northern State University (RV) on Tuesday night and enters the weekend on a three-match losing streak but faces St. Cloud State University on Friday night before heading to Duluth.
• A pair of outside hitters lead the Beaver attack with junior Mallory Sal collecting 3.97 kills per set (good for fourth in the NSIC) while senior Jen Dixon has 3.58. Junior middle hitter Tarah Dabovich leads Minot with a .274 attack percentage. The offense flows through senior setter Emily Byrne who is eighth in the league with 8.72 assists per frame.
• Junior libero Cindy Pelo and senior outside Jen Dixon lead Minot State from a defensive standpoint. Pelo is averaging 3.99 digs per set while Dixon adds 3.63 herself. Opponents have been tougher at the net than the Beavers, as Minot has just 1.22 blocks per set compared to 2.28 against them.

BULLDOG 'BYTE
"It does get pretty crazy with it being Homecoming, but our head coach keeps us focused. Every weekend is a big weekend in the NSIC. Everybody at anytime can win or play at different levels. We can have fun - and yeah, there's distractions - but we just need to focus when it's time to play." - senior libero Julie Rainey to Nick Kornder and Kevin Falness on this week's Northern Sun Spotlight Radio Show (Listen)

The Bulldogs and Marauders open Homecoming weekend on Friday at 7:00 p.m. in Romano Gym.