The University of Minnesota Duluth will strike out on the road once again this weekend as the Bulldogs travel to Northern State University and Minnesota State University-Moorhead for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match-ups.
UMD (20-1, 13-0 NSIC) will be on the road for five of its final eight matches, with five opponents currently ranked in or receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll released this week. That includes Northern State, who UMD takes on Friday night to start the weekend before traveling to MSU-Moorhead on Saturday afternoon.
QUICK HITS• Sophomore middle blocker
Sydnie Mauch led the Bulldogs offensively last week with a .562 hitting percentage. She finished with the second-most kills on UMD with 32, averaging 3.56 per set, and collected 21 with just two errors over the weekend against U-Mary and Minot State while adding six blocks to her offensive numbers, including three on Saturday vs. the Beavers.
• Junior setter
Ashley Hinsch continued to post gaudy numbers from an assist standpoint, averaging 3.11 per set with 118 total in three, three-set sweeps for the Bulldogs. She added six kills on 11 swings (.455 attack percentage), four service aces, 12 digs, and seven blocks, including two solo to her setting numbers- posted 45 assists, four kills, and five blocks on Saturday afternoon against Minot State.
• Senior libero
Julie Rainey averaged 6.22 digs per set in three, three-set sweeps, totaling 56 on the week, while adding three service aces and seven assists to go with her defensive numbers. She put together her best match of the week with 22 defensive saves last Tuesday against Bemidji State.
SCOUTING THE WOLVES (Friday, Oct. 24, 7:00 p.m.) -
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Northern State (RV, 15-6, 8-5 NSIC) has won three matches in a row since falling out of the AVCA Top 25 rankings for the first time this season two weeks ago, remaining just on the outside this past week among teams receiving votes. UMD is 48-2 all-time against NSU.
• Sophomore outside hitter Kelsey Chambers entered the season as the league's Preseason Player of the Year and ha led the Wolves this season, averaging nearly four kills per set while hitting .283 on the season. She's also been helpful on the defensive game with 37 total blocks and 2.45 digs per set so far this season. From a defensive standpoint, NSU runs a pair of defensive specialists in freshman Annika van Osbree and junior Renee Hoffman.
• Junior middle hitter Cari McGarvie is second in the NSIC in hitting percentage behind UMD's
Monica Turner at .401 while also ranking in the top six in the league knocking down 1.04 blocks per set this season. Northern junior setter Drew Smith is second in the nation with 13.13 assists per set - a number that would lead any other conference except the NSIC as UMD's Hinsch tops the list.
SCOUTING THE DRAGONS (Saturday, Oct. 25, 4:00 p.m.) -
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MSU-Moorhead (9-12, 4-9 NSIC) knocked of the University of Minnesota-Crookston last weekend and will host St. Cloud State University before the Bulldogs come to town Saturday. The Dragons are winless in six matches against ranked opponents this season, and UMD is 56-12 all-time against MSUM.
• Junior middle blocker Kaitlyn Van Winkle leads Moorhead with 3.42 kills per set and is currently tied for fourth in the NSIC with a .352 hitting percentage so far this season. The Dragons use a pair of setters with junior Casie Bear and senior Sam Sullivan combining for 10.68 assists per set on the season.
• Van Winkle is second in the NSIC with 1.18 blocks per set, and sophomore middle blocker Kelsey Hartkopf has also been tough at the net with 0.82 blocks per frame. Junior libero Amber Krenske is third in the NSIC, averaging 4.86 digs per game this season.
The Bulldogs and Wolves will each look to start the weekend with a win as UMD travels to Aberdeen, S.D. on Friday night. Opening serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
