Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 3 Northern State University volleyball team will open NSIC play this week with a pair of matches versus the University of Mary and Minot State. NSU will face the Marauders at 6 p.m. from Wachs Arena on Wednesday, and the Beavers at 2 p.m. on the road on Saturday.
 
The Wolves opened the week moving up four spots to No. 3 in the AVCA Top-25 Poll after a 4-0 weekend at the Augustana Tournament. NSU grabbed their first top-25 victory of the season, defeating the host Vikings 3-1. Jenna Reiff, Ashley Rozell, and Hailey Busch were named to the Augustana All-Tournament Team. Northern hit .408 on the weekend, averaging 15.77 kills, 14.92 assists, 16.31 digs, 2.0 aces, and 2.38 blocks per set. Thus far in 2018, NSU is hitting .392 averaging 15.4 kills, 14.2 assists, 15.2 digs, 2.3 aces, and 1.9 blocks per set. They have out-scored their opponents 624-385 through 25 sets.
 
Hailey Busch leads the team with 105 kills, averaging 4.20 per set with a .401 attack percentage. Jenna Reiff leads the team hitting at a .523 clip, with 81 kills and a team high 26 blocks, averaging 1.04 per set. Ashley Rozell has dished out 312 total assists this season, averaging 12.48 per set, and leads the team with 20 service aces. Jaiden Langlie leads the defense with 112 total digs, averaging 4.48 per set. Three Wolves find themselves ranked in the top-15 in the country, as Ashley Rozell is 15th in assists per set, Jenna Reiff is sixth in hitting percentage, and Hailey Busch is sixth in points per set.
 
About the Marauders
                • UMary enters the NSIC opener with a 3-5 record overall, after a 4-match slide from the Augustana Tournament
                • The Marauders are hitting .137 this season, while averaging 11.6 kills, 10.9 assists, 14.4 digs, 1.8 aces, and 1.4 blocks per set
                • Morgan Schanbel leads the team with 87 kills, while Julianna Hughes is hitting a team best .260
                • Sydney Murphy is averaging 8.97 assists on the year
                • Breanna Donarski leads the defense with 101 total digs, while Madison Bergthold has a team high 22.0 blocks
                • The Marauders are led by head coach Korie Tetzlaff in her opening season with the program
 
Last Match-up
                • The Wolves defeated the Marauders 3-0 from Sioux Falls over the weekend, hitting .427 as a team
                • Gaul, Snyder, and Reiff each tallied ten kills as the Wolves combined for 45 as a team
                • Rozell added 33 assists and led the team with 12 digs
                • Northern is 31-8 all-time against UMary and currently on a 15-match win streak
 
About the Beavers
                • Minot State enters the opening week of NSIC action with a 5-3 record overall, including a 3-1 weekend from the UNK Rosella Meier Classic
                • The Beavers are hitting .155 as a team, averaging 11.2 kills, 10.4 assists, 15.0 digs, 1.4 aces, and 1.5 blocks per set on the year
                • Shelby Spuller leads the team with 107 total kills, while Hayley Swain is hitting a team high .328
                • Kelsey Dewulf has dished out 294 total assists, averaging 9.48 per set
                • Karli Koza leads the defense with 151 total digs, averaging 4.87 per set, while Emily Falldorf has a team best 28.0 blocks
                • MSU is led by head coach Dana Cordova in her second season at the helm
 
Last Match-up
                • The Wolves went 2-0 against the Beavers in 2017, with 3-0 victories each outing
                • Snyder combined for 23 kills in the two victories from Wachs Arena
                • NSU is 14-4 all-time against Minot State, winning the last 11 contests