Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University volleyball team heads North this weekend, taking on Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston. Match starts are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday against the Beavers and 2 p.m. on Saturday versus the Golden Eagles.
 
GAME & FAN INFORMATION
                » Live video and stat links are available above or on the full schedule on nsuwolves.com
 
NORTHERN STATE STORYLINES
                » The Wolves look to bounce back this weekend after a 2-match slide at Wayne State and Augustana, dropping to 10-7 overall and 5-4 in the NSIC
                » Northern is hitting .232 this season, averaging 13.4 kills, 12.5 assists, 15.3 digs, 1.3 aces, and 2.2 blocks per set
                » Against league opponents the Wolves rank in the top-5 of the NSIC in total assists, assists per set, total kills, total blocks, blocks per set, total digs, and digs per set
                » Sally Gaul and Natalia Szybinska lead the Wolves with 238 and 214 kills respectively, while Peyton Ellingson is hitting a team best .376 thus far
                » Keri Walker is nearing 1,000 assists this season with 715 total, averaging 11.17 per set; she also leads the team with 24 service aces
                » Libero Havyn Heinz leads the Northern State defense with 254 total digs, averaging 4.16 digs per set
                » The Wolves net play is led by Olivia Rud with 76.0 total blocks in 2021, averaging 1.15 blocks per set
 
BEMIDJI STATE STORYLINES
                » Bemidji State enters the weekend looking for their first win of the 2021 campaign
                » BSU is hitting .085 as a team, averaging 9.5 kills, 8.8 assists, 12.4 digs, 1.1 aces, and 1.1 blocks per set this season
                » Anna Averkamp leads the offense with 144 total kills this season, averaging 2.62 per set
                » Both Megghan Dahlager and Rylie Bjerklie are hitting a team best .127with 72 and 74 kills respectively
                » Emily Wade has dished out 409 assists on the year, averaging 7.30 per set
                » Madison Weyker leads the defense with 187 total digs, averaging 3.34 per set, while Bjerklie leads the team at the net with 28.0 blocks
                » The Beavers are led by head coach Kevin Ulmer in his sixth season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                » Northern swept Bemidji State 3-0 in 2019, hitting .327 as a team with 45 kills
                » Peyton Ellingson was third on the team with ten kills, hitting .692
 
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON STORYLINES
                » The Golden Eagles open the weekend with a 1-13 record overall and 0-9 mark in the NSIC
                » Crookston is hitting .094 on the year, averaging 8.5 kills, 7.5 assists, 10.6 digs, 1.1 aces, and 1.2 blocks per set
                » Lauren Wallace has a team high 95 kills, averaging 2.11 per set, hitting a team best .132
                » Natalie Koke is the team's primary setter with 280 total assists, averaging 6.22 assists per set in 2021
                » Wallace also leads the defense with 99 digs, while Mara Weisensel leads the team at the net with 24.0 total blocks
                » UMC is led by head coach Sarah Morgan in her fifth season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                » The Wolves swept the Golden Eagles in 2019 from Aberdeen
                » Northern hit .360 in the win, notching 44 kills and seven aces