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SMSU VOLLEYBALL: SMSU closes out the regular season with a homestand facing UMary and Minot State

Independent file photo SMSU’s Rachel Fink serves the ball during their match against Wayne State College on Nov. 5. The Mustangs will close out their regular season this weekend against the University of Mary and Minot State University.

MARSHALL – The No. 17 Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (16-10, 10-8 NSIC) prepares for the final weekend of the regular conference season with a weekend homestand.

•SMSU will face UMary for senior night on Friday at 6 p.m. and Minot State on Saturday at 2 p.m. for parent’s day.

•SMSU notches the No. 17 spot in the latest AVCA Top 25 Poll released on Monday, Nov. 11. SMSU is one of eight NSIC schools featured.

•SMSU went 2-1 after dropping a match to No. 13 Wayne State on Tuesday night in three sets. SMSU finished weekend play off with a weekend sweep, taking down No. 7 Northern State in five sets and sweeping MSU Moorhead in three.

•There are two regular season matches left before the conference tournament, which will start on Nov. 22., at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., and will include the top eight teams in the conference.

•For the Mustangs to make the conference tournament, they must sweep the weekend and depend on the outcome of other NSIC opponents.

•SMSU trails Upper Iowa by one conference game. No. 21 Upper Iowa hosts No. 5 Minnesota Duluth and No. 9 St. Cloud State this weekend.

Mustang leaders

•Junior Angela Young leads the team offensively with 399 kills and a 4.16 kills per set average.

•Emma Thomssen leads in assists with 633 and Alisa Bengen is right behind with 511.

•Payton Hjerleid leads the team defensively with 390 digs and 4.06 digs per set.

•Hjerleid also leads in service aces with 31.

•Zoe Lier leads in blocks with 77 including 58 block assist and 19 block solos.

•SMSU has a 14.76 kills per set average and a .248 hitting percentage.

UMary match preview

2019 Record: 1-26, 0-18 NSIC

Head coach: Korie Tetzlaff, second season

Mascot: Marauders

Series History

•SMSU is undefeated in the all-time series with a 20-0 advantage.

•SMSU has swept all but two matches which were four-set victories.

•SMSU won the last meeting on Sept. 20 with a three-set victory.

UMary notes

•Head coach Korie Tetzlaff in her second season at UMary, after serving as the assistant coach at Black Hills State. Tetzlaff is 5-50 overall and 1-37 in the NSIC.

•Morgan Schnabel leads the Marauders with 255 this season.

•Leading the Marauders defense is Natalie Cruz with 367 digs. Cruz also leads in service aces with 25.

•Sydney Murphy paces UMary with 602 assists recorded this season.

•UMary’s lone victory this season was a four-set victory over N.M. Highlands.

•UMary comes into the weekend in search of its first conference victory of the season.

Minot State

match preview

2019 Record: 3-24, 2-16 NSIC

Head coach: Dana Cordova, third season

Mascot: Beavers

Series History

•SMSU is undefeated in the all-time series with a 10-0 advantage.

•SMSU has swept all 10 meetings.

•SMSU won the last meeting on Sept. 21 with a three-set victory.

Minot State notes

•Head coach Dana Cordova is in her third season and has a 21-65 overall record and 9-49 record in conference play.

•SMSU has three wins on the season, two over NSIC opponent UMary, and one over MSU moorhead.

•One victory over UMary was a non-conference match.

•Shelby Spuller leads the offensive with 322 kills.

•Karli Koza leads the Beaver defense with 428 digs and service aces with 19.

•Mackenzie Froehlich paces Minot with 739 assists.

•The Beavers’ largest threat at the net is Hayley Swain with 69 blocks on the season.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications

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