Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 9 Northern State University volleyball team returns home this Friday and Saturday for a pair of matches versus St. Cloud State and No. 4 Minnesota Duluth. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday versus the Huskies and 2 p.m. on Saturday against the Bulldogs. The Edith Sanford Breast Center will also sponsor the Saturday game, as the team's annual 'Pink Match'.
 
Northern State defeated Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston on the road last weekend, 3-1 and 3-0. The Wolves hit .366 as a team with 11 kills, 106 assists, 95 digs, nine service aces, and 12 blocks. Northern hit a weekend high .383 against the Beavers, with 61 kills to their 48. Hailey Busch led the team with 28 kills and four aces, while hitting .349 on the weekend. Laura Snyder hit a team leading .457, notching 24 kills and six blocks. Ashley Rozell notching 98 assists, averaging 14.00 per set. Holly Vancura and Jaiden Langlie each tallied 25 digs, averaging 3.57 per set.
 
The Wolves are hitting .294 on the year, while averaging 13.7 kills, 12.9 assists, 15.9 digs, 2.0 blocks, and 1.5 service aces per set. Hailey Busch leads five players with over 100 kills, notching 219 kills, averaging 4.13 kills per set. Laura Snyder leads the team hitting .375 this season, with a second best 194 kills. Rozell has boosted her numbers in the last few weeks, currently averaging 11.81 assists per set, which ranks her seventh overall in the nation. Jaiden Langlie has a team leading 289 digs, while Jenna Reiff leads the team at the net with 80 total blocks.
 
About St. Cloud State
- The Huskies are 14-9 overall this season and 6-7 in the NSIC
- St. Cloud is hitting .181 this season, while averaging 12.8 kills, 11.9 assists, 17.3 digs, 1.5 blocks, and 1.5 service aces per set
- Becca Gruber leads the team with 212 kills, averaging 2.62 per set, while Kayla Crane is hitting a team leading .229
- Kayla Crane and Maddy Torve team up in the setting effort with 464 and 390 assists respectively
- Clara Krenz leads the team with 483 digs, averaging 5.96 per set, while Gruber leads the team at the net with 37 total blocks
- SCSU is led by head coach Chad Braegelmann in his third season at the helm
 
A Season Ago
- The Wolves defeated the Huskies 3-0 from Wachs Arena in 2016
- NSU hit .358 in the match, and held SCSU to a .118 attack percentage
- Holly Vancura led the team with 14 kills, while Ashley Rozell tallied 43 assists
- Vancura and Jaiden Langlie notched a team leading 11 digs
- Northern is 16-9 all-time against St. Cloud State
 
About No. 4 Minnesota Duluth
- The Bulldogs enter the weekend 19-2 overall and 12-1 in the NSIC with their lone loss coming against SMSU
- Duluth is hitting .334 this season, while averaging 15.8 kills, 14.9 assists, 15.7 digs, 1.9 blocks, and 1.5 service aces per set
- Sarah Kelly leads three hitters with over 200 kills this season, notching 250 with averaging 3.62 per set
- Kelly is also hitting a team leading .466
- Emily Torve paces the offense with 841 assists, averaging 12.37
- Keena Seiffert leads the team with 217 digs, while Allison Olley leads the team at the net with 69 blocks
- UMD is led by head coach Jim Boos in his 16^th season with the program, where he has tallied a 412-75 record through 15 seasons
 
A Season Ago
- The Wolves fell to the Bulldogs 3-0 from Wachs Arena in 2016
- UMD hit .351 in the match, while the Wolves hit .139
- Holly Vancura was the leading returner with six kills, while Langlie led the team with 18 digs
- Northern is 4-24 all-time against Minnesota Duluth