Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University volleyball team hits the road this weekend for a pair of AVCA Top-25 matches against Winona State and Upper Iowa. The Wolves will face the No. 9 Warriors at 6 p.m. on Friday, and the (RV) Peacocks at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
 
The Wolves opened the week, jumping five spots to No. 19 in the recent AVCA Top-25 Poll. Norther is hitting .321 as a team through 11 games, and holding their opponents to a .127 mark. The Wolves are averaging 13.5 kills, 14.1 digs, 12.5 assists, 1.7 aces, and 2.1 blocks per set in 2017. Hailey Busch leads the team with 118 kills, while Laura Snyder and Holly Vancura are second on the team with 84 kills each. Snyder is hitting a team leading .412, which ranks third overall in the NSIC. Ashley Rozell has racked up 403 assists, averaging 11.19 per set which ranks fourth in the NSIC and 19^th nationally. Rozell leads the team and the NSIC with 28 service aces, ranking third in the nation. Jaiden Langlie leads the defense with 131 total digs, while Jenna Reiff and Morgan Baufield lead the team at the net with 35 and 33 blocks respectively.
 
About Winona State
- The Warriors enter the weekend with an 8-3 record overall and 2-1 record in league action
- WSU is hitting .240 as a team, while averaging 14.8 kills, 13.9 assists, 17.6 digs, 1.5 blocks, and 1.6 aces per set this season
- Danielle Rampart leads the team with 143 kills, while Maria Wrage is hitting a team leading .290
- McKenna Larsen has tallied 388 assists thus far, averaging 10.78 per set
- Becca Pagel leads the team defensively with 218 digs, averaging 5.45 per set
- Winona is led by head coach Joe Getzin in his third season at the helm. Getzin has over 20 years of coaching experience with a career record of 233-277
 
Last Season
- The Wolves fell to the No. 6 Warriors 3-0 from Wachs Arena in 2016
- Lauren McCafferty led the team with ten kills, while Ashley Rozell tallied a team leading 30 assists and 11 digs
-Northern is 23-12 all-time against Winona State, with their last victory coming in 2015
 
About Upper Iowa
- The Peacocks enter the weekend with a 10-2 record overall and 1-2 mark in NSIC play
- UIU opened the season on a 9-game win streak, including a victory over No. 18 Washburn
- Upper Iowa is hitting .213 this season, while averaging 13.1 kills, 12.3 assists, 19.7 digs, 1.7 blocks, and 1.3 aces per set
- Anna Winter leads the team with 144 kills and a .266 attack percentage
- Malissa LeClaire has racked up 379 assists, averaging 8.81 per set
- Defensively Ashley Larson leads the team with 222 digs, while Bethany Lovhaug has a team leading 42 blocks
- Upper Iowa is led by head coach Aaron Nelson in his seventh season at the helm, where he holds a career record of 78-97
 
Last Season
- The Wolves defeated the Peacocks 3-0 from Wachs Arena in 2016
- Northern hit .252 and tallied just one hitting error in the third and final set
- Tori Biach led the team with 17 kills, followed by Holly Vancura with ten
- Jaiden Langlie notched a career high 28 digs in the victory, averaging 9.33 per set
- Northern is 13-4 all-time against Upper Iowa, winning the last six contests between the two teams