Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University volleyball team opens conference play tomorrow, playing three games in the next six days. NSU will face U-Mary and MSU Moorhead on the road, and Minot State from Wachs Arena. The Wolves and Marauders face-off tomorrow at 6 p.m. in Bismarck. NSU will then return home for a 5 p.m. match-up with the Beavers on Saturday, while finishing off the opening matches at MSU Moorhead on Tuesday the 19^th at 6 p.m.
 
Northern State opened the week ranked 24th nationally in the AVCA Top-25 Preseason Poll. The Wolves won the Max & Erma's Classic sweeping all four team and notching 156 kills, 33 aces, 189 digs, and 24 blocks. Northern averaged 13.00 kills and 15.75 digs per set, while hitting .329 on the weekend. NSU hit a season high .429 against the Golden Eagles with just five attack errors in 84 attempts. Defensively the Wolves held three of their four opponents below a .100 attack percentage, including a -.089 mark for UMC. Five Wolves were named to the All-Tournament team in Ashley Rozell, Jaiden Langlie, Jenna Reiff, Hailey Busch, and Holly Vancura.
 
Through the first eight matches of 2017 the Wolves are averaging 13.4 kills, 12.4 assists, 14.1 digs, 2.0 blocks, and 1.9 service aces per set. NSU is hitting .297 as a team, while holding their opponents to a .149 mark on defense. Busch is leading the team with 109 kills, while Morgan Baufield is hitting a team leading .326 on the year. Rozell has complied 302 assists, averaging 11.19 per set, and holds a team leading 24 service aces. Jaiden Langlie is leading the Wolves defense with 101 digs, averaging 3.74 per set.
 
About U-Mary
- The Wolves enter the week with a 4-5 record overall
- U-Mary is averaging 11.2 kills, 10.8 assists, 13.0 digs, 1.4 aces, and 0.9 blocks per set, while hitting .172 as a team
- Lauren Randall is leading the team with 141 kills, averaging 5.22 per set, and a .246 attack percentage
- Amanda Lopes has 331 assists this season, averaging 9.19 per set
- Geovana Almeida leads the team with 117 digs, averaging 3.25 per set
- Mary is led by head coach Thais Franca in her third season with the program
 
Last Season
- The Wolves defeated the Marauders 3-0 with set scores of 25-17, 25-17, and 25-20 from Wachs Arena in 2016
- Northern tallied 47 kills, 46 assists, 71 digs, five blocks, and one service ace, while hitting .336
- Holly Vancura led the NSU returners with eight kills and a team second best 15 digs
- Rozell recorded 44 assists and 12 digs, while Jaiden Langlie notched 13 digs
 
About Minot State
- The Beavers are 3-5 overall this season, after an 0-4 weekend from the NSU Max & Erma's Classic
- MSU is averaging 11.6 kills, 11.0 assists, 14.5 digs, 1.4 service aces, and 1.6 blocks per set, while hitting .170 as a team
- Shelby Spuller is leading the team with 121 kills, while Hayley Swain is hitting a team leading .279
- Kelsey Dewulf has recorded 276 assists this season, averaging 9.52 per set
- Karli Koza is leading the team on defense with 155 digs, averaging 5.17 per set
- Minot State is led by head coach Dana Cordova in her first season with the program
 
Earlier This Season
- The Wolves downed the Beavers 3-0 with set scores of 25-16, 25-14, and 25-9
- Northern tallied 37 kills, 34 assists, 37 digs, nine aces, and three blocks, while hitting .361 as a team
- Hailey Busch led the team with 12 kills, while Jenna Reiff hit a team leading .467
- Ashley Rozell notched 31 assists and a team leading four service aces
 
About MSU Moorhead
- The Dragons are 5-3 overall and on a three match loss streak
- Moorhead is averaging 11.1 kills, 10.1 assists, 17.8 digs, 2.1 blocks, and 1.2 service aces, while hitting .147 as a team
- Kaylyn Jenkins and Courtney Selbitschka are leading the team with 75 and 73 kills, with Jenkins hitting a team leading .314
- Ellie Hoyt has recorded a team leading 261 assists, averaging 8.70 per set
- Monica Vega leads the team defensively with 164 digs, averaging 5.47 per set
- MSUM is led by head coach Tammy Blake in her 21^st season with the program, where she holds a career record of 343-269
 
Last Season
- Northern defeated the Dragons twice in 2016 with scores of 3-0 and 3-1
- In the home win, NSU tallied 48 kills, 48 assists, 54 digs, seven blocks, and five service aces, while hitting .319
- Jenna Reiff was second on the team with ten kills, while Rozell led the team with 14 digs
- In the road victory, the Wolves recorded 55 kills, 49 assists, 78 digs, six service aces, and five blocks, while hitting .218 as a team
- Vancura and Reiff led the team with 15 and 12 kills respectively, while Langlie notched 24 digs