Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 2 Northern State University volleyball team will head south this weekend to face Upper Iowa and Winona State. Match times are schedule for 6 p.m. on Friday versus the Peacocks and 5 p.m. on Saturday against the Warriors.
Quick Hits on the Wolves
• The Northern State Wolves opened the week moving up one spot to No. 2 in the AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll after a 5-set victory over then No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul. The Wolves earned 15 first place votes in the poll.
• Northern has now spent 46 consecutive weeks on the AVCA Poll after debuting at No. 22 on Sept. 14, 2015.
• NSU sits atop the NSIC standings with an 8-1 conference record, while also leading the league in hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage.
• The Wolves are hitting a national leading mark of .330 this season, while averaging 14.4 kills, 13.6 assists, 16.1 digs, 1.8 aces, and 1.8 blocks per set.
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Hailey Busch leads the team with 233 kills, averaging 4.02 per set, while hitting .313.
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Jenna Reiff and
Morgan Baufield are leading the team hitting .438 and .410 respectively, while also grabbing 53 and 40 blocks apiece.
• Reiff is also leading the nation in hitting percentage this season, while Rozell sits third in assists per set and fourth in aces per set.
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Ashley Rozell has dished out 717 total assists, averaging 12.36 per set, while leading the team with 37 service aces.
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Jaiden Langlie leads the defensive front for the Wolves with 248 total digs, averaging 4.28 per set, followed by Rozell with 150 and
Lexi Boesl with 144.
About the Peacocks
• Upper Iowa enters the weekend with an 11-6 record overall and 4-5 mark in the NSIC.
• The Peacocks have received votes this season after a 3-1 win over No. 12 Wheeling Jesuit.
• UIU is hitting .206 as a team, averaging 13.2 kills, 12.4 assists, 19.2 digs, 1.5 aces, and 1.9 blocks per set.
• They lead the NSIC in digs per set this season.
• Anna Winter has a team high 203 kills, averaging 3.50 per set, while Lauren Wombles is hitting a team high .280.
• Malissa LeClaire has dished out 611 total assists, averaging 10.53 per set.
• Haley Weepie leads the defense with 246 total digs, averaging 4.24 per set, while Bethany Lovhaug has a team high 64 blocks, averaging 1.10 per set.
• Upper Iowa is led by head coach Aaron Nelson in his eighth season at the helm.
Last Match-up
• The Wolves swept the Peacocks in 2017 with match scores of 3-1 and 3-0.
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Laura Snyder led the team on the road with a career high 20 kills, as the Wolves hit .335.
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Hailey Busch returned to action for the home contest, notching a team best 19 kills, with NSU hitting .387.
• Northern is 16-4 all-time versus Upper Iowa, and 8-0 since 2012.
About the Warriors
• Winona State enters the weekend with an 8-9 record overall and 5-4 mark in the NSIC.
• The Warriors are hitting .200, while averaging 12.8 kills, 12.0 assists, 16.1 digs, 1.3 aces, and 2.3 blocks per set this season.
• Megan Flom leads the team with 190 kills, averaging 3.11 per set, while Sophie Wilker is hitting a team high .263 on the year.
• Bre Maloney has taken over the setting role with 612 total assists, averaging 9.71 per set in 2018.
• Becca Pagel leads the defense with 247 total digs, averaging 3.98 per set, followed by Taylor Goar (sister of NSU freshman
Bry Goar) with 192.
• Wilker also sits atop the team at the net with 70.0 total blocks on the year, averaging 1.17 per set.
• Winona State is led by head coach Joe Getzin in his fifth season with the program.
Last Match-up
• Northern State and Winona State split their two contests in 2017 with each team losing at home.
• Snyder and Langlie led the team on the road with 16 kills and 19 digs respectively.
• NSU suffered seven service aces and 15 attack errors in the home loss.
• The Wolves are 30-31 all-time versus the Warriors, and 6-4 in the last seven seasons.
