THE OPENING SERVE: The University of Minnesota Duluth will make its first ever appearance at AMSOIL Arena on Thursday, Sept. 6 for the 2018 home opener  when the Bulldogs welcome Bemidji State University on Military Appreciation Night. The first serve of the opening Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matchup is set to begin at 6:00 p.m.

SCOUTING REPORT ON BEMIDJI STATE: The Beavers also competed in the Wildcat Open with the Bulldogs last week going against the same four clubs. They finished 0-4 and dropped a tough five-set match to Lake Superior State. Bemidji State is 3-5 overall and was slated to finish 15th in the conference. Kevin Ulmer is currently in his third season with the Beavers.
Bemidji State ranks poorly defensively. It is 251 out of 284 Division II schools in bocks per set (1.06) and 244 out of 284 in opponent hitting percentage (.239). It boasts the 51st best hitting percentage at .235 but that is eighth in the NSIC.
Anna Averkamp is the main attacker for the Beavers. She has a 3.35 kills per set average and is hitting a respectable .284 from the outside. Averkamp had 14 kills last time out and notched a team season-high 18 kills vs. Minnesota Crookston. Greta Paszek is second on the attack with 59 kills (2.03 k/s), Julie Touchett is next with 56 (1.81) and Mary Campbell follows with 54 (1.80). 
Emma Hallmann has 15 aces, which is 33rd in the nation. Hallmann also leads the Beavers in the backcourt with 88 digs (2.84 digs per set). Maddie Mackiac was second with 65 digs (2.32 d/s).  

THE SERIES: The encounter between the Bulldogs and the Beavers will be the 94th meeting between the two squads since 1976. UMD has come out on top 91 times and has beaten Bemidji State 31 straight times, including sweeps in the last eight, dating back all the way to 1998.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and its opponents this weekend stack up in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll, their overall records and in the AVCA poll.
TEAM            NSIC            RECORD        AVCA
UMD               3rd                    6-2               6th
BSU               15th                   3-5               NR

THE BROADCAST: The matches this weekend will be carried live through a video stream with Josh Wallace doing play-by-play, in addition to live stats capabilities, and is available for free at: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd/
For those interested in live stats only follow the link and click on the stats button: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd/

RECAPPING THE 2017 SEASON: The Bulldogs were 26-7 last season and finished 16-4 in the NSIC. UMD had its two postseason tournaments end by the hands of Concordia-St. Paul. The Bulldogs were toppled in five sets in the NSIC Tournament to the Golden Bears after winning a five-set quarterfinal finish against Winona State. UMD rebounded and advanced to the central regional final after surviving a first-round scare over Northern State and toppling top-ranked and host Southwest Minnesota State in the semis. Concordia-St. Paul bested the Bulldogs in four sets to move on to the NCAA finals.

BULLDOGS PICKED THIRD IN NSIC: UMD was picked to finish third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for the second consecutive year according to the NSIC coaches' poll. The Bulldogs were selected behind Concordia University, St. Paul and Southwest Minnesota State University. UMD received 194 points while Concordia-St. Paul was selected to finish at the top of the conference with 225 points and 15 first-place votes. Southwest Minnesota State nabbed 210 points and the other lone first-place tally. Northern State University (176 points) and Wayne State College (164) rounding out the top-five.

ON THE LOOKOUT FOR KELLY: Two-time AVCA All-American Sarah Kelly returns as one of the league's formidable foes and a candidate for NSIC Player of the Year. The Chaska, Minn., native was selected as one of 16 players in the NSIC to have an eye on for the 2018 season. Kelly was the main component of the offense with 440 kills (3.70 kills/set). The All-NSIC first team right side hitter hit at a .414-clip, the third highest percentage in the nation and tops in the league last season. She recently became the latest Bulldog hitter to etch herself in the 1,000-kill club, and recorded new personal single-game highs in kills, assists, digs, blocks and aces.

SURVEY SAYS: For roughly 16-plus years, the Bulldogs have been nationally ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association. UMD slid five spots from the top billing down to No. 6 in the third poll of the season. The Bulldogs have been in every poll since it first appeared on Sept. 10, 2002, a stretch of 221 consecutive weeks. No other team has a longer active streak.

BLOCK PARTY: The Bulldogs have 62 blocks on the season, good for second in the NSIC and 30th nationally.

BLOCK PARTY II: The Bulldogs are averaging 2.30 per set, which is also good for second in the conference and 26th in the nation.

ON LOCKDOWN: Teams are hitting .119 this season. Northern Michigan hit .194 against UMD, the highest mark allowed by the Bulldogs. The opposing .119 percentage is the 27th best in Division II.

MOVING UP THE 1,000-KILL CLUB CHARTS: Senior right side hitter Sarah Kelly joined a distinctive group of 19 other Bulldogs to achieve at least 1,000 kills. Kelly has 1,088 kills for her career moving her past Sydnie Mauch for 13th amongst the program. She is 22 kills from passing Monica Turner for 12th. 

LIGHT IT UP: Senior right side hitter Sarah Kelly is second in the nation among active career hitting percentages. Kelly is hitting .375 for her career which is 12 points off junior Julianne Miller from Azusa Pacific. As it stands, the Chaska, Minn., native is on pace to scatter the best UMD mark set at .361 by both Monica Turner and Sarah Wyffels.  

SET IT AND FORGET IT: Junior setter Emily Torve moved up to ninth all-time among set assists at UMD last year and currently sits with 3,015. Tammy Wermager is eighth on the UMD charts with 3,513.

THE COMPLETE SET: On a national stage, junior setter Emily Torve has the reputation of directing a few of the nation's best hitters and offenses during her stint. The Bulldogs have had the fifth and fourth best offensive  hitting percentages the past two seasons. Pile those successes and Torve has the second highest assists per set among active setters. Her 12.92 is .01 off Northern State's Ashley Rozell.

AVOIDING THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP: Outside hitter Kate Berg showed the threat that she could present opponents all throughout her freshman season. Berg got acclimated quickly and became the second option in the potent UMD attack. The native of Wayzata, Minn., led all NSIC newcomers in a bevy of categories: kills per set (3.27), points per set (3.64), attacks per set (8.83), kills (378) in 2017.

2017 ACCOLADES: Senior right side hitter Sarah Kelly and alumna middle blocker Allison Olley attained AVCA All American honors, continuing the tradition of excellence of having at least one player earn All-American honors for the last 16 years. Kelly was the program's 22nd first-team nod and Olley was the 24th different player in program history to be bestowed an All-American. In addition, sophomore outside hitter Kate Berg, senior outside hitter Makenzie Morgen and junior setter Emily Torve each obtained NSIC second team distinction. Four Bulldogs (Olley, Torve, Kelly and junior middle blocker Abby Thor) garnered NSIC weekly awards with Kelly and Torve each being selected twice. Kelly was also tabbed the AVCA National Player of the Week last year.

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs travel to play the University of Minnesota Crookston Saturday, Sept. 8 in the first of a four-match road stand.