Match Notes (.pdf)

The 25^th-ranked Northern State volleyball team opens a three-match homestand this week beginning Tuesday when MSU Moorhead comes to Wachs Arena for a 7 p.m. match. The Wolves are looking to avenge a 3-1 loss in September to the Dragons. It was NSU's first loss of the season.

Northern finds itself ranked No. 25 in the latest AVCA top-25 poll. It is the first time in program history that the Wolves have been ranked. NSU received votes to be ranked last week.

NSU (15-3, 8-3 NSIC) is coming off a big weekend last week as the Wolves swept St. Cloud State Friday, it was Northern's ninth sweep of 2013. The Wolves followed that up with a 3-1 upset over then-second-ranked Minnesota Duluth Saturday. It was Northern's first win over UMD since 2000 and the Bulldogs' first home loss since 2011. Duluth had won 22-straight at home prior to the match.

MSU Moorhead comes into Tuesday's match with a record of 12-7 overall and 5-6 in conference play. The Dragons split last weekend with SCSU and UMD. Moorhead defeated St. Cloud 3-1 and fell to Duluth in three sets.

MSUM is led by Kaitlin VanWinkle's 216 kills. VanWinkle is second in the league with 74 total blocks in 2013. Libero Amber Krenske is second in the NSIC averaging 5.11 digs per set this season.

Northern also received individual accolades this week as Kelsey Chambers and Drew Smith were named Offensive Player and Setter of the Week, respectively in the NSIC for their performances over the weekend.

Chambers led Northern with 35 kills in the two matches (5 per set) and hit .405. Chambers also had eight total blocks and 16 digs during the week. Against St. Cloud, Chambers hit an incredible career-high .621 in the sweep and didn't record a single attack error in the match.

Smith totaled 88 assists over the weekend (12.6 per set). Smith also recorded 18 digs and five blocks in the two wins. Smith was integral in setting up a Wolves offense that hit .369 against SCSU and had just six attack errors. In the upset over UMD, Smith recorded her fifth double-double of the season as she registered 48 assists and 12 digs in the victory. Northern hit a league-high .312 as a team over the weekend thanks to Smith's work from her setter position.