Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 8 Northern State University volleyball team heads North this weekend for a pair of AVCA Top-25 matches versus No. 4 Minnesota Duluth and No. 11 St. Cloud State. The Wolves will face off against the Bulldogs at 6 p.m. on Friday and the Huskies at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
 
QUICK HITS ON THE #8 NORTHERN STATE WOLVES
                • Northern State hits the road with a 12-2 record overall and 5-1 mark in the NSIC, notching three straight wins over No. 19 Sioux Falls, Minnesota Crookston, and Bemidji State
                • The Wolves moved up one spot to No. 8 in this week's AVCA Top-25 Poll and have now spent 60 consecutive weeks as a member
                • Against NSIC opponents, the Wolves lead the league in hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage, total blocks, and digs per set; and sit second in the NSIC in total assists, assists per set, total kills, kills per set, blocks per set, and total digs
                • Additionally, NSU continues to lead all of NCAA Division II hitting .311 on the year, and ranks in the top-5 nationally in assists per set and kills per set
                • Laura Snyder and Ashley Rozell are among the individually ranked Wolves with Snyder sitting fourth in the country in kills per set (4.47) and points per set (5.02), and Rozell sitting fifth in assists per set (12.18)
                • The Wolves are hitting .311 on the year, averaging 15.1 kills, 14.0 assists, 15.7 digs, 2.2 blocks, and 1.2 aces per set this season
                • Snyder leads the NSU offense with 219 kills, averaging 4.47 per set, and a .375 attack percentage
                • Peyton Ellingson is hitting a team high .382 on the year and leads the Wolves at the net with 57 total blocks, averaging 1.24 per set
                • Ashley Rozell has dished out 597 assists this season, averaging 12.18 per set, and is closing in on the school record held by Drew Smith with just 334 to go
                • Jaiden Langlie is one of three Wolves with triple figure digs, recording 220 total in 2019
                • Jenna Reiff is second on the team with 166 kills, averaging 3.39 per set, and 145 digs, averaging 2.96 per set
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE #4 BULLDOGS
                • Minnesota Duluth enters the weekend with a 13-1 record overall and on a 12-match win streak
                • They are currently ranked fourth in the AVCA Top-25 Poll and lead the NSIC versus league opponents in assists and kills per set ahead of the Wolves
                • The Bulldogs are hitting .283 on the year, averaging 15.6 kills, 14.4 assists, 15.4 digs, 1.7 blocks, and 1.8 aces per set this season
                • Kate Berg leads the offense with 193 total kills, averaging 4.39 per set, while Lexy Langenfeld is hitting a team best .393
                • Emily Balts currently leads the NCAA averaging 12.45 assists per set, with 548 total assists in 2019
                • Keena Seiffert leads the Bulldog defense with 217 total digs, averaging 4.93 per set, while Abby Thor leads the team at the net with 38 total blocks, averaging 0.86 per set
                • Minnesota Duluth is led by head coach Jim Boos in his 18th season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • The Wolves fell twice to the Bulldogs in two 5-set matches in 2018
                • Snyder combined for 31 kills in the two matches, while Langlie recorded 44 digs
                • Northern is 5-49 all-time versus Minnesota Duluth
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE #11 HUSKIES
                • St. Cloud State heads into the weekend with a 13-1 record overall and 5-1 mark in the NSIC
                • The Huskies have climbed the AVCA Poll this season from receiving votes to No. 11 in the most recent installment
                • St. Cloud is hitting .230 this season, averaging 14.8 kills, 13.8 assists, 19.4 digs, 2.2 blocks, and 1.5 aces per set
                • The lead the league in total digs in large part to Clara Krenz who sits atop the NSIC with 312 digs, averaging 6.24 per set
                • Phebie Rossi leads the team at the net with 34.0 total blocks, averaging 1.03 per set
                • Linsey Rachel is averaging a team high 4.16 kills per set with 204 total kills this season, while Rossi is hitting a team high .326
                • Maddy Torve, sister to Balts of UMD, has dished out 609 total assists, averaging 12.18 per set
                • SCSU is led by head coach Chad Braegelmann in his fourth season with the program
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • Northern swept St. Cloud State twice a season ago
                • Morgan Baufield led the team in the home victory with 11 kills and four blocks, as the Wolves hit .365 as a unit
                • The Wolves are 19-10 all-time versus the Huskies