Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 9 Northern State University volleyball team returns to Wachs Arena this Friday and Saturday versus Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. Match times are set for 6 p.m. on Friday versus the Golden Eagles and 3 p.m. on Saturday against the Beavers. Fans are encouraged to wear gold on to Friday's contest for the annual 'Gold Rush' match-up.
 
QUICK HITS ON THE #9 NORTHERN STATE WOLVES
                • Northern returns home after a 1-1 weekend versus No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State and No. 19 Sioux Falls
                • The Wolves dropped one spot to No. 9 in the AVCA Top-25 Poll and one of eight NSIC teams on the list
                • The program has spent the past 59 consecutive weeks as a member of the AVCA Top-25 Poll, earning 791 points in this week's release
                • NSU is hitting a national leading .307 on the year, averaging 15.1 kills, 13.9 assists, 15.5 digs, 1.1 aces, and 2.1 blocks per set
                • Versus NSIC opponents, the Wolves lead the league in total assists (231), total kills (245), total blocks (37.0), blocks per set (2.31), total digs (312), and digs per set (19.5)
                • In addition, NSU ranks second in the NSIC against league opponents in hitting percentage (.273), assists per set (14.44), and kills per set (15.31), and top-10 in opponent hitting percentage, total service aces, and service aces per set
                • Laura Snyder leads the Northern State offense with 196 kills, averaging 4.56 set, while hitting a team leading .384
                • Jenna Reiff and Sally Gaul follow with 145 and 141 kills respectively, averaging over 3.00 per set apiece
                • Ashley Rozell has dished out 521 total assists, averaging 12.12 per set, and leads the team with 13 aces
                • Jaiden Langlie leads the Wolves defense with nearly 200 digs and sits atop the NSIC averaging 5.81 digs per set in league action
                • Peyton Ellingson has been a crucial part of the Wolves net defense with a team high 51 blocks, averaging 1.24 per set
                • Rozell and Snyder sit top-10 nationally with Rozell averaging 12.12 assists per set (sixth) and Snyder averaging 4.56 kills (seventh) and 5.13 points (third) per set
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE GOLDEN EAGLES
                • Minnesota Crookston enters the third week of NSIC play with a 2-10 record overall and 0-4 mark in the league
                • The Golden Eagles are hitting .152 this season, averaging 9.5 kills, 8.6 assists, 14.1 digs, 1.3 aces, and 1.8 blocks per set
                • Porsha Porath is the focal point of the UMC offense, recording a team high 140 kills, averaging 3.11 per set
                • Sabrina Leuer is hitting a team best .192, followed by Portha hitting at a .161 clip
                • Sydney Kruisselbrink has dished out 244 assists on the year, averaging 5.81 per set, and is second on the team defensively with 101 digs
                • Katie Lienemann leads the defense with 141 total digs, averaging 3.62 per set, while Kaitlin Sikkink leads the team at the net with 32 blocks
                • Minnesota Crookston is led by head coach Sarah Rauen in her third season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • The Wolves swept the Golden Eagles twice in 2018, hitting .410 at home and .326 on the road
                • NSU combined for 89 kills, 87 assists, and 111 digs in the two wins, averaging 14.83 kills, 14.5 assists, and 18.5 digs per set
                • Northern is 39-4 all-time versus Minnesota Crookston and 15-0 under the direction of Aldridge
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE BEAVERS
                • Bemidji State heads to Aberdeen with a 3-9 record overall and 0-4 mark in the NSIC
                • The Beavers are hitting .183 on the year, averaging 11.4 kills, 10.7 assists, 14.2 digs, 1.3 aces, and 1.5 blocks per set
                • Becky Shroeder leads three Beavers with over 100 kills, recording 141 on the year
                • Haley Stolt and Julie Touchett follow with 119 and 114 respectively, while Touchett leads the team hitting .286
                • Maddie Mackinac has racked up 456 total assists, averaging 9.70 per set
                • Emma Hallmann leads the BSU defense with 182 digs, averaging 3.87 per set, while Randi Johnson leads the team at the net with 34 total blocks
                • Bemidji State is led by head coach Kevin Ulmer in his fourth season with the program
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • Northern swept Bemidji State in both matches in 2018, hitting .312 at home and .485 on the road
                • Jenna Reiff and Sally Gaul led the team on the road with 12 kills apiece, as NSU racked up 55, averaging 18.33 per set
                • The Wolves are 39-32 all-time against the Beavers and 11-0 in the Aldridge-era