Aberdeen, S.D. – The (RV) Northern State University volleyball team travels south to Winona State and Upper Iowa this Friday and Saturday for the opening weekend of NSIC action. The Wolves will face the No. 10 Warriors at 6 p.m. on September 17 and the Peacocks at 1 p.m. on September 18.
 
GAME & FAN INFORMATION
                » Tickets for the Upper Iowa contest are available online at the link above
                » Live video and stat links are available above or on the full schedule on nsuwolves.com
 
NORTHERN STATE STORYLINES
                » The Wolves enter NSIC competition with a 5-3 record overall and a 3-1 weekend to close out non-conference play
                » Northern fell out of the AVCA Top-25 Poll this week, however are still receiving votes
                » NSU is hitting .236 this season, averaging 13.6 kills, 12.6 assists, 14.6 digs, 1.4 aces, and 1.9 blocks per set
                » Sally Gaul and Natalia Szybinska sit atop the team with 110 and 99 kills respectively this season, with Szybinska hitting a team best .286 thus far
                » Keri Walker has taken on a bulk of the setting duties, racking up 310 total assists, averaging 11.07 per set
                » Havyn Heinz stepped into the libero role for the Wolves in 2021 and leads the team with 129 digs, averaging 4.30 per set
                » Olivia Rud leads the defensive effort at the net with 34.0 blocks, averaging just over one per set
                » As a team, NSU sits in the top-5 of the NSIC in assists and kills per set
                » Gaul is fifth in the league in kills and points per set, while Walker ranks third in assists per set
 
WINONA STATE STORYLINES
                » Winona kicks off NSIC play with a perfect 8-0 record in non-conference play, defeating their opponents 24-3 through 27 sets
                » WSU is hitting .265 as a unit, averaging 14.1 kills, 12.9 assists, 17.6 digs, 1.3 aces, and 2.2 blocks per set this season
                » Megan Flom leads the team with 106 kills, averaging 3.93 per set, and a .429 attack percentage
                » Bre Maloney is pacing the offense with 278 total assists, averaging 11.12 per set
                » Becca Pagel leads the defensive effort with 143 total digs, while Flom leads the team at the net with 29.0 total blocks
                » The Warriors are led by head coach Joe Getzin in his eighth season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                » Northern swept Winona State from Wachs Arena in 2019
                » Sally Gaul tallied 13 kills in the win, hitting .370
 
UPPER IOWA STORYLINES
                » The Peacocks enter the weekend with a 7-2 record overall
                » Upper Iowa is hitting .253 as a team, averaging 13.7 kills, 12.3 assists, 16.6 digs, 1.5 aces, and 2.0 blocks per set
                » Madelyn Rettler leads the offense with 110 total kills, followed by Maggie Steightiff with 91 kills and a team leading .296 attack percentage
                » Nicole Pozorski has 324 total assists in 2021, averaging 9.82 per set
                » The UIU defense is led by Charisma Herr with 165 total digs, and Zoe Semelroth with 28.0 total blocks
                » The Peacocks are led by Aaron Nelson in his 11th season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                » Northern went 1-1 versus Upper Iowa in 2019, defeating the Peacocks 3-0 in league play and falling 3-2 in the NSIC Tournament
                » The Wolves hit .432 in the conference victory, notching 49 kills and just eight hitting errors