Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University volleyball team will host No. 6 Winona State and Upper Iowa this Friday and Saturday from Wachs Arena. The Wolves and the Warriors will match-up at 7 p.m. on Friday, while NSU will face-off against the Peacocks at 6 p.m. on Saturday following the NSU football game versus St. Cloud State. Fans will be admitted free to Saturday's volleyball contest with a valid football ticket stub.
 
The Northern State University Wolves moved to 14-5 overall and 7-4 in the Northern Sun after a weekend split with No. 1 Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State.  Northern tallied three players in double-digit kills in the 3-0 victory over St. Cloud State. The Wolves are currently sixth in the NSIC league standings with four weeks remaining in the NSIC regular season. Kellie Schmit led the team with nine kills against the Bulldogs, while Jenna Reiff hit a team leading .333 in the match. Holly Vancura led the team in night two with 14 kills, while Schmit and Lauren McCafferty hit a team leading .529 and .444. Ashley Rozell notched 77 assists, averaging 12.83 per set over the weekend. Rozell has now surpassed 800 assists in her first season with the Wolves.
 
Northern is currently hitting .249 as a team, while averaging 13.2 kills, 12.6 assists, 16.0 digs, 1.5 service aces, and 1.9 blocks per set. Tori Biach is sixth in the league in hitting percentage and blocks hitting a team leading .385 this season and averaging 0.97 blocks per set, while Ashley Rozell is third in the league and in the nation, averaging 11.99 assists per set. Rozell is also sixth in the league with 32 service aces this season.
 
About the Warriors
- No. 6 Winona State enters the weekend 18-3 overall and 9-3 in league action
- WSU is hitting .253 this season, while averaging 14.6 kills, 13.9 assists, 18.6 digs, 1.3 service aces, and 1.8 blocks per set
- Taylor Goar leads the team with 262 kills this season, while Lauren Kudronowicz is hitting a team leading .370
- Jamie Cairncross leads the team with 340 digs, while averaging a league third best 5.07 assists per set
- Kudronowicz also has a team leading 59 blocks, followed by Maria Wrage with 57
- The Warriors are led by head coach Joe Getzin in his third season with the program where he holds a 39-18 career record in two seasons
 
Last Season
- The Wolves went 1-1 versus the Warriors in 2015, winning in the regular season 3-1 and falling in the first round of the NSIC Tournament 3-0
- In the victory, three Wolves tallied double-digit kills including Kellie Schmit (11) and Mandy Kurosky (13)
- Schmit also hit a team leading .526 in the win
- Northern tallied just one hitter in double-digit kills in the post-season loss, while Schmit was the only player to hit above .300 in the match
 
About the Peacocks
- Upper Iowa enters the weekend with a 9-12 record overall and 3-9 mark in league action
- UIU is hitting .173 this season, averaging 10.9 kills, 10.3 assists, 15.4 digs, 1.1 service aces, and 1.4 blocks per set
- Alisha VanderWoude leads the team with 158 kills, while also hitting a team leading .284
- Malissa LeClaire leads the team with 409 assists, while Carlee Ketchum has tallied 250 this season
- Ashley Larson leads the defensive effort with 287 digs, averaging 3.93 per set, while VanderWoude and Bethany Lovhaug each have 40 blocks
- The Peacocks are led by head coach Aaron Nelson in his fourth season with the program
 
Last Season
- The Wolves defeated the Peacocks 3-1 on the road in 2015
- Tori Biach hit a team second best 14 kills, as four Northern players were in double-digits
- NSU hit .379 as a team with 64 kills, while the Peacocks hit .214 with 44 kills
- Defensively, Annika van Oosbree notched a team second best 12 digs