Independent file photo SMSU’s Rachel Fink serves the ball during their match against Wayne State College on Nov. 5, 2019.

MARSHALL — No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State (8-0) begin conference play this weekend, matching up against Bemidji State (0-8) and Minnesota Crookston (1-3).

The Mustangs will take on Bemidji State at 6 p.m. Friday.

SMSU closes their weekend at Minnesota Crookston, with the match set to begin at 2 p.m.

SMSU and the

NSIC in the polls

After a dominant showing at the Fort Hays State Classic, going 4-0 and only losing one set, the Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team finds themselves ranked No. 8, with three first place votes, in the second regular season American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Division II weekly poll released on Monday afternoon.

SMSU is one of six NSIC schools ranked in this week’s Top 25 with Concordia-St. Paul dropping to No. 4, Wayne State leaping to No. 5, Winona State at No. 10, Minnesota Duluth in at No. 16, and St. Cloud State at No. 23 joining the Mustangs.

Series history

Bemidji State and SMSU will meet for the 97th time, with SMSU leading the series 66-30.

The first meeting took place in 1977, and their last meeting came on Oct. 18, 2019, with the Mustangs winning in straight sets.

Minnesota Crookston and SMSU will meet for the 35th time, with SMSU leading the series 34-1.

The first meeting was in 1991 and the last meeting occurred in 2019, with the Mustangs winning in four sets.

About Southwest Minnesota State

The Mustangs have now won 12 consecutive matches dating back to the 2019 season.

It is their longest winning streak since 2017, when they recorded 16 victories in a row to start their season.

Through two weeks, the Mustangs have beat as many ranked opponents (2), as they have lost sets.

SMSU returns 2019 All-NSIC first team Angela Young and second team All-NSIC Meg Schmidt, as well as three-time Academic All-NSIC Payton Hjerleid.

SMSU was voted seventh in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

Meg Schmidt was named NSIC Player to Watch. Schmidt was second on the team with 328 kills, while also finishing second on the team with 62 blocks.

All around

Two weeks into the regular season, SMSU has been dominant, and the numbers have backed it up.

SMSU leads the NSIC in hitting %, kills per set, and service aces per set.

You can also find the Mustangs atop the leaderboard in opponents hitting %, limiting opposing teams to the least amount of kills per set in the NSIC, and are third in the conference in blocks per set.

Mustangs on the leaderboards

Six separate players find themselves in the top five across the NSIC leaderboards two weeks into the season.

Meg Schmidt currently ranks third in hitting percentage and fifth in service aces per set.

Angela Young slots in second in kills per set, third in points per set, and fourth in total kills.

Rachel Fink leads the NSIC in aces per set, while Payton Hjerleid ranks third.

Katelyn Nichols ranks second in blocks per set, while just missing the top five in hitting percentage, finding herself in sixth.

Alisa Bengen rounds out the list for the Mustangs, ranking fourth in assists per set.

Bemidji State

preview

2021 Record: 0-8, 0-0

Head Coach: Kevin Ulmer, sixth season

Mascot: Beavers

Bemidji State Notes

Kevin Ulmer heads into his sixth season, fifth of competition.

The Beavers were picked to finish 13th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

Bemidji State has started the season 0-8, with six losses coming in straight sets.

Beavers are lead by senior outside hitter Anna Averkamp, who has tallied 69 kills in the first eight games of the season, and Madison Weyker, who leads the team with 118 digs.

Minnesota

Crookston preview

2021 Record: 1-4, 0-0

Head Coach: Sarah Morgan, fifth season

Mascot: Golden Eagles

Minnesota Crookston Notes

Sarah Morgan enters her fifth year as head coach in 2021, and fourth season of competition.

The Golden Eagles were picked to finish 14th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Minnesota Crookston returned to the court Tuesday after having last weekend off, beating Minot State 3-0 in non-conference action to move to 1-4 on the season.

Minnesota Crookston is lead by senior outside hitter Lauren Wallace, who has tallied 44 kills in the first four games of the season, and Layne Whaley, who leads the team with 40 digs.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications