The University of Minnesota Duluth will begin Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play ranked No. 1 in the nation this week with a pair of home matches set to be broadcast locally on the My9 Sports Network and a road trip up Highway 2 to face local rival Bemidji State University.

No. 1 UMD (7-1) will open NSIC play this Thursday against the University of Minnesota-Crookston, then travel to Bemidji Saturday, and finally return home Tuesday to play host to St. Cloud State University before getting into the normal Friday/Saturday NSIC schedule next weekend. The Bulldogs posted a perfect 4-0 record at the University of Indianapolis Tournament last week, knocking off No. 6 Colorado School of Mines and No. 10 Wheeling Jesuit University in the process.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES | 4-4 (2015) / 11-17, 5-15 NSIC (2014)
Minnesota Crookston won 3-of-4 in its first weekend tournament but fell in three out of four last weekend to land at .500 in non-conference play ... the Eagles fell in both of their matches against nationally ranked competition (3-1 vs. then-No. 17 Florida Southern College, 3-0 vs. then-No. 8 Grand Valley State University) ... UMC graduated its lone All-NSIC selection from a season ago in senior middle Brittany Locker ... the Golden Eagles rely on senior outside hitter Stephanie Pearson (2.70 kps) and sophomore right-side hitter Maggie Perrel (2.73 kps) offensively. Pearson averaged a team-high 4.09 digs per set as well ... head coach Lee Anderson is in his ninth season at the helm of the Eagles ... UMD is a perfect 22-0 all-time against Minnesota Crookston with a 3-0 victory last time out on Sept. 23, 2014... the Bulldogs and Golden Eagles will open serve on the week's action Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS | 2-7 (2015) / 5-23, 3-17 NSIC (2014)
Bemidji State dropped its seventh loss of the season last Monday night in Bemidji and will travel to St. Cloud State on Thursday before the Bulldogs come to town ... the Beavers dropped their lone match against a ranked opponent this season (3-0 vs. then-No. 7 Grand Valley State) ... Bemidji didn't have an all-conference player in 2014 ... junior outside hitter Amanda Tronick averages 2.91 kills per set for BSU, which uses a two-setter system ... first-year middle Hailey Kauling has collected 23 blocoks on the young season ... head coach Wayne Chadwick is in his sixth season at Bemidji State ... UMD is 88-3 all-time against Bemidji State with a 3-0 victory last time out on Oct. 14, 2014 ... the Bulldogs and Beavers will hit the court in Bemidji at 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES | 4-4 (2015) / 7-21, 1-19 NSIC (2014)
St. Cloud State will host Bemidji State Thursday and travel to Minnesota Crookston this weekend before coming to Duluth next week, but fell in 3-of-4 last weekend after a 3-1 start to its season ... the Huskies dropped their lone match against a ranked foe in the season opener (L 3-0 vs. then-No. 13 University of Central Missouri) ... SCSU didn't have an all-conference player in 2014 ... senior outside hitter Rachel Burke (2.47 kps), senior middle Sophie Jaskulske (2.42) and junior right-side Macy Weller (2.39) lead a balanced attack for the Huskies ... senior defensive specialist Briane Stamer is second in the NSIC averaging 6.21 digs per set ... head coach Chad Braegelmann is in his first season coaching St. Cloud State ... UMD is 67-33 against SCSU with a 3-0 victory last time out on Oct. 28, 2014 ... the Buldogs and Beavers will open serve at Romano Gym and on My9 at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday.

OUTSIDE HITS
To some surprise, UMD ranked No. 1 in the nation in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top 25 ... to no surprise, junior middle blocker Sydnie Mauch earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors as she collected 52 kills on the weekend (3.47 per game) while hitting .482 and adding 18 blocks on the weekend (1.20/game), earning Tournament MVP honors as well ... Seniors setter Ashley Hinsch and middle blocker Monica Turner joined Mauch on the All-Tournament Team. Hinsch averaged 11.87 assists per set while Turner averaged 1.40 blocks and 2.20 kills while hitting .319 on the week ... sophomore libero Kelly Madison averaged 4.73 digs on the weekend in her first four collegiate starts for the Bulldogs.

LINKS TO WATCH
... vs. Minnesota-Crookston: Live Video & Stats | TV: My9
... vs. Bemidji State: Live Video | Live Stats
... vs. St. Cloud State: Live Video & Stats | TV: My9

UMD will finally open its home season Thursday as it takes on Minnesota Crookston at Romano Gym. Opening serve is set for 7:00 p.m. and the match can be seen live on the My9 Sports Network.