The University of Minnesota Duluth will make its 2014 television debut as the Bulldogs play host to the eighth-ranked Southwest Minnesota State University on Friday night, before playing host to the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday, as the team opens its home Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season.

No. 3 UMD (8-1, 1-0 NSIC) picked up a 3-0 victory over St. Cloud State University on Tuesday night, but it was not without adversity as the Huskies took UMD to the wire in a pair of 25-23 sets to close the match.

QUICK HITS
• Junior middle blocker Monica Turner was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/Sports Imports NCAA II Player of the Week on Tuesday as she led the Bulldog offense with 50 kills over the weekend at the Colorado Premier Challenge. Turner continued to impress on Tuesday night with 14 kills on 19 swings without a single attack error (good for a .737 hitting percentage). Turner ranks ninth in the nation in attacking with a .464 percentage on the season.
• Junior setter Ashley Hinsch, who earned an NSIC Setter of the Week nod this week, ranks third in the nation at 13.36 assists per set. Though through only nine matches, that's almost an entire assist over her career average. She's spread the ball around as well: eight Bulldogs have at least 15 kills on the season, and five have at least 60.
• Senior libero Julie Rainey is averaging 5.25 digs per set, about on-par with her career record, but hasn't needed to be outstanding as she gets over a dig per set from senior outside hitter Katie Ledwell (2.32), sophomore defensive specialist Teal Tomaszewski (1.93), Hinsch (1.86), and three others.

The Bulldogs will get a chance to show off their new multi-pronged attaci as Friday's match will be broadcast locally on the My9 Sports Network. "On tv, it probably won't do it justice, you certainly need to see it live to really appreciate what's going on," said head coach Jim Boos. "But, to have that exposure and give some people that don't have the opportunity to come or maybe have never thought of coming, as they flip through the tv, maybe ... next time they decide to show up. It's great for our young women and our program to get that exposure, and it's against a great opponent."

SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS (Friday, Sept. 19, 7:00 p.m.) - Live Stats | Live Video | TV: My9
• No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State (6-3, 1-0 NSIC) knocked off Sioux Falls in straight sets to start the NSIC season. The Mustangs own the lone victory over the No. 1 University of Tampa on the season, taking down the Spartans 3-1 to start the Colorado Premier Challenge.
• SMSU has thrived when its offense hits effectively. The team has 65 errors in three losses (12 sets), but 112 errors in six wins (22 sets). That's an average 5.4 per set in losses, and almost one-half an error less in wins.
• Junior right-side hitter Abbey Thissen and freshman outside hitter Kenzie Beekman have paced the Mustang offense, averaging over three kills per set. Thissen has also been tough at the net with 0.88 blocks per set, while freshman middle blocker Brooke Borchardt leads them team with 0.94 per-game.
• Junior Emilee Gutzmer and freshman Megan Larson have shared the setting duties for Southwest Minnesota.
• UMD is 60-14 all-time against the Mustangs with a 3-0 sweep last time out at the NCAA II Central Region Tournament at Romano Gym on Dec. 6, 2013.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS (Saturday, Sept. 20, 4:00 p.m.) - Live Stats | Live Video
• Sioux Falls (5-5, 0-1 NSIC) won four of five to start the season and then reversed fortune, losing four of five including its conference opener against Southwest Minnesota on Tuesday night.
• Senior outside hitters Emily Johnson and Kate Hart lead the Cougar offense with a combined average of 5.52 kills per set. Johnson also averages 2.36 digs and 0.49 blocks so far this season. A pair of freshman setters, Kayla Crane and Sydney Schapp have split time for Sioux Falls on the young season.
• The Bulldogs are 3-0 all-time against the Cougars, including a 3-0 victory in the opening round of the NSIC Tournament at Romano Gym last season on Nov. 20, 2013.

BULLDOG 'BYTE
"Southwest Minnesota State is so well-coached. They make your life miserable. They serve  tough. They defend tough. They have the ability to attack you from all different angles, and I would expect another grinding battle like we've had over the past 10 years that Terry [Culhane] has been there and I've been here." - head coach Jim Boos on the specific challenge awaiting the Bulldogs in Friday's top-ten showdown

The action gets underway Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Romano Gym.