Sioux Falls, S.D. – The Northern State University volleyball team opened the Augustana Invite with two 3-0 wins over No. 8 Grand Valley State and Southwest Baptist University. Northern improves to 6-0 on the year, heading into day two from Sioux Falls.
 
The Wolves faced off against stiff competition in game one of the day, versus the nationally ranked Lakers of Grand Valley State. The NSU women were not phased and rolled past the Lakers with set scores of 25-22, 25-20, and 25-22. Kelsey Chambers led the Wolves offensive with 13 kills, followed by Tori Biach with eight. Chambers added two blocks and a team leading ten digs for her first double-double of the season. Renee Hoffman and Annika van Oosbree matched Chamber's total with ten digs of their own. The trio teamed up for 30 of the team's 52 digs.
 
Kellie Schmit continued her potent offensive with a .778 attack percentage and seven kills. Schmit went errorless in nine swings and add an assist. Drew Smith anchored the NSU offensive who tallied 45 kills with 40 assists. Smith added two kills of her own and five digs.
 
Northern hit .224 as a team, with a match leading .414 in the second set. The Wolves led the Lakers in kills, 45-33, assists, 43-31, and digs, 52-42. NSU's balanced attack fought back in the third set after falling behind 18-14. Kelsey Chambers and Cari McGarvie sealed the Wolves victory with three kills to take the third set and ultimately the match.
 
The Wolves were back at it in the night cap, out-hitting the Badgers .375-.106 in their second 3-0 victory of the day. NSU topped Southwest Baptist 25-16, 25-13, and 25-18. Northern notched 16 kills in each of the three sets, hitting a match high .438 in set two.
 
Cari McGarvie and Mandy Kurosky led NSU with ten kills apiece, while Kelsey Chambers and Kellie Schmit were just behind with nine each. Chambers nearly tallied her second double-double straight with a team second best 11 digs. Renee Hoffman was the NSU leader on defense with 12 digs.
 
Senior Drew Smith tallied 42 assists, bringing her season average to 13.44 assists per set. The 40 assist match was her fifth of the season. Smith added four digs and one kill in the win. Amanda Tobin proved to be a threat on defense with nine digs.
 
Southwest Baptist struggled to get things going offensively with 14 attack errors and 25 kills in the loss. Northern kept the Badgers off balance with seven service aces, led by McGarvie and Tori Biach with two each. Biach added seven kills of her own and a .462 attack percentage in the win.
 
Northern heads into the second day of the Augustana Invite as one of five unbeaten teams in the NSIC. The Wolves are set to face Black Hills State and Northwest Missouri State at 12 and 6 p.m. tomorrow. NSU then opens NSIC play next Thursday on the road at the University of Mary.