Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 9 Northern State University volleyball team is set to host No. 16 Augustana tomorrow in the first round of the NSIC Tournament. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Wachs Arena. Fans are reminded that Wolves Club passes and tickets will not be accepted, as it is a conference tournament match. All Northern State students however will be admitted free to the contest with valid student ID.
 
The Wolves went 1-1 in the final week of regular season action, defeating Upper Iowa and falling to No. 15 WSU. They finished the season with a 23-5 record overall and 16-4 record in the NSIC. Northern hit .302 in the two matches, with 93 kills, 89 assists, 113 digs, 11.0 blocks, and five aces. NSU hit .387 against the Peacocks notching 18 more kills and digs than UIU. The Wolves finish the regular season rank third in hitting percentage (.295), fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.184), fifth in assists (13.55), fifth in kills (14.35), and third in digs (17.51) against league opponents. Northern finished the regular season with a 16-4 league record, in third overall.
 
Heading into the post-season Hailey Busch leads the team with 319 kills, averaging 4.20 per set. Laura Snyder and Jenna Reiff are each hitting above .300 this season, with .391 and .333 marks. Setter Ashley Rozell as surpassed 1100 kills, averaging 11.93 per set which ranks seventh nationally. She is also leading the team with 53 service aces this season. Jaiden Langlie and Holly Vancura lead the NSU defense with 396 and 344 digs respectively, while Reiff leads the team at the net with 98 total blocks, averaging over one per set.
 
About the Vikings
- Augustana finished the regular season with a 22-8 record overall and 13-7 mark in league play as the sixth seed in the NSIC Tournament
- The Vikings are hitting .235 this season, averaging 14.1 kills, 13.1 assists, 17.7 digs, 2.1 blocks, and 1.4 aces per set
- Courtney Place leads the team with 411 kills, averaging 3.77 per set, while Ashley Wilson is hitting a team leading .334
- Alex Banker has 1,270 total assists, averaging 11.55 per set
- Tahlyr Banks was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the team with 580 digs, averaging 5.27 per set
- Bailey Koch leads the team at the net with 105 total blocks, averaging just over one per set
- AU is led by first year head coach Jennifer Jacobs
 
Earlier this Season
- The Wolves fell to the Vikings 3-1 on the road in mid-October
- Northern hit .236 in the match with 51 kills, 49 assists, 63 digs, 12 blocks, and six aces
- They tallied more aces, blocks, and digs than the Vikings, however gave up 68 kills
- Hailey Busch led the team with 17 kills and 18 digs, while Langlie was second on the team with 14 digs
- Ashley Rozell dished out 48 assists