Golden, Colo. – The No. 8 Northern State Wolves concluded their weekend in Colorado with victories over Colorado Mesa and Colorado Mines, who are each receiving votes in the AVCA Top-25. For the second straight year, the Wolves have gone 4-0 to open the season.
 
THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score (GM1): NSU 3, CMU 0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-18)
Final Score (GM2): NSU 3, MINES 1 (25-19, 22-25, 26-24, 25-21)
Records: NSU 3-0, CMU 2-1, MINES 3-1
 
Game 1 – (RV) Colorado Mesa
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Wolves handily slid to their third sweep of the weekend out-scoring the (RV) Mavericks 75-50 through three sets
• Northern hit a season high .432 in the win with just five attack errors through three sets and 46 kills
• NSU added a match high 44 assists, 43 digs, eight blocks, and six aces
• They forced 18 CMU hitting errors and held the Mavericks to a .189 hitting percentage
• Three Wolves finished the afternoon with double figure kills, while Peyton Ellingson notched career highs in kills, blocks, and hitting percentage

 
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

• Peyton Ellingson: 10 kills, .692 attack %, 7 blocks
• Jenna Reiff: 12 kills, .435 attack %, 7 digs
• Sally Gaul: 10 kills, .455 attack %, 2 blocks
• Ashley Rozell: 36 assists (12.00 per set), 12 digs (4.00 per set), 3 aces, 3 blocks
• Laura Snyder: 9 kills, .318 attack %, 8 digs, 5 assists, 2 aces
• Jaiden Langlie: 9 digs, 1 ace

 
Game 2 – (RV) Colorado Mines
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Orediggers proved to be the Wolves first test of the 2019 season, pushing the match to four sets including an extra point third set
• Northern combined for 61 kills, 60 assists, 65 digs, and seven blocks in the match, out-playing Mines in all four categories
• The Wolves offense hit .321 in the match, suffering just 16 errors total
• Defensively they held the Orediggers to a .192 hitting percentage and forced 27 attack errors
• Down 24-22 late in the third set, NSU battled back with four straight points including two kills by Sally Gaul to secure the set victory
• Multiple Wolves notched double figures in the match, with Laura Snyder (kills), Jenna Reiff (digs), and Jaiden Langlie (digs) notching season highs

 
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

• Laura Snyder: 17 kills, .412 attack %, 9 digs, 3 assists
• Sally Gaul: 14 kills, 4 digs
• Jenna Reiff: 13 kills, .440 attack %, 12 digs, 2 blocks
• Ashley Rozell: 54 assists (13.50 per set), 8 digs, 2 kills
• Jaiden Langlie: 19 digs (4.75 per set)
• Morgan Baufield: 5 blocks, 8 kills

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Ashley Rozell and Sally Gaul were named to the Oredigger Classic All-Tournament Team, while Laura Snyder brought home tournament MVP honors
• Snyder hit .441 with 55 kills (4.23 per set) and 60 points through the four matches
• Rozell dished out 170 assists, averaging 13.08 per set, and added five aces
• Gaul hit .364 with 49 kills (3.77 per set) and 53 points

 
UP NEXT
Northern State continues tournament play next weekend in Springfield, Missouri from the Drury Invitational. The Wolves will face off against (RV) Northwest Missouri State and Drury at 1 and 7 p.m. on Friday and Truman State and Missouri Western at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday.