Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 8 Northern State University volleyball team hits the road this weekend to face No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State and No. 19 Sioux Falls. The matches are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday versus the Mustangs and 2 p.m. on Saturday against the Cougars.
 
QUICK HITS ON THE #8 NORTHERN STATE WOLVES

• Northern enters the second week of NSIC action with a 9-1 record overall and 2-0 mark in the league after defeating (RV) Augustana and No. 20 Wayne State last weekend
• NSU had a stellar defensive weekend in the NSIC opener, notching back-to-back season highs for digs with 72 versus Augustana (18.00 per set) and 88 versus Wayne State (29.33 per set)
• Ashley Rozell and Jaiden Langlie earned NSIC Setter and Defensive Player of the Week honors following the Wolves two wins
• The Wolves remained at No. 8 in this week's AVCA Top-25 Poll, earning 59 more points than the week prior; Northern has now spent 58 consecutive weeks on the AVCA Top-25 Poll, dating back to 2015
• NSU is averaging 15.3 kills, 14.1 assists, 15.2 digs, 2.2 blocks, and 1.0 aces per set, hitting a national top-5 mark of .318
• Northern leads the NSIC in assists per set, kills per set, total blocks, blocks per set, total digs, and digs per set in matches against league opponents
• In addition, NSU ranks in the top-5 nationally in hitting percentage, kills per set, and assists per set
• Laura Snyder leads the Wolves offense with 151 kills, averaging 4.44 per set and hitting .392
• Ashley Rozell has dished out 419 total assists this season, averaging 12.32 per set, which ranks second in the nation
• Jaiden Langlie leads the defense with 149 total digs, averaging 4.38 per set
• Peyton Ellingson leads the team at the net with 42 total blocks, averaging a national second best 1.62 per set

 
MATCHING UP WITH THE #9 MUSTANGS

• Southwest enters the weekend with an 8-2 record overall and 2-0 mark in the NSIC, opening league play with wins over UMary and Minot State
• The Mustangs came in at No. 9 in this week's AVCA Top-25 Poll for the second straight week
• SMSU is hitting .251 on the year, averaging 15.2 kills, 14.5 assists, 14.9 digs, 2.0 blocks, and 1.5 aces per set this season
• Angela Young and Meg Schmidt lead the offense with 149 and 127 kills respectively in 2019, while Zoe Lier is hitting a team best .343
• The Mustangs have moved to a 6-2 offense this season with Emma Thomssen and Alisa Bengen notching 238 and 221 assists respectively
• Payton Hjerleid leads the defense with 131 digs, averaging 3.54 per set, while Lier leads the team at the net with 33 total blocks
• SMSU currently leads the NSIC in opponent hitting percentage at .036 against league opponents
• Southwest is led by head coach Terry Culhane in his 16th season at the helm

 
LAST MATCH-UP

• The Wolves and Mustangs faced off twice in 2018, falling 3-0 in the regular season and 3-2 in the NSIC Tournament
• Laura Snyder led the team in the regular season with 15 kills, while Jaiden Langlie recorded 12 digs
• Morgan Baufield led the returns in the tournament with kills, while Langlie tallied 25 digs
• Northern is 10-58 all-time versus Southwest and 1-10 under the direction of Aldridge

 
MATCHING UP WITH THE #19 COUGARS

• Sioux Falls enters the second week of NSIC play with a perfect 10-0 record and No. 19 ranking in the AVCA Top-25 Poll after making the jump from No. 24 a week ago
• The Cougars are averaging 13.7 kills, 11.5 assists, 13.8 digs, 2.3 aces, and 2.0 blocks per set, hitting .270 as a team this season
• USF leads the league in hitting percentage, after recording a mark of .377 last weekend versus the Marauders and Beavers
• Abby Feyereisen has a team high 91 kills and his hitting a season best .456; she also leads the league in attack percentage at .377 versus NSIC opponents
• Krista Goerger has paced the offense with 307 total assists, averaging 10.59 per set
• Allie Maloney leads the defensive effort with 108 total digs, averaging 4.15 per set, while Feyereisen has a team high 26 blocks
• Sioux Falls is led by head coach Joel McCartney in his eight season with the program

 
LAST MATCH-UP

• Northern defeated Sioux Falls 3-1 a season ago
• Laura Snyder and Sally Gaul led the team with 17 and 13 kills respectively, as Snyder hit a team high .355
• Ashley Rozell dished out 53 assists, average 13.25 per set, and Jaiden Langlie recorded 17 digs
• The Wolves are 17-5 all-time against the Cougars and 6-3 in the Aldridge-era