The No. 13 Mavericks have three matches in five days this week as they travel to St. Paul to square off against No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul, Tuesday and host Bemidji State, Friday evening and Minnesota, Crookston, Saturday afternoon.
About the Opposition: The Mavericks (14-5, 8-3 NSIC) will face three conference-opponents this week including a match-up against No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul (15-3, 9-2 NSIC). Minnesota State defeated the Golden Bears who were then ranked No. 2, 3-2 on Sept. 18 in Mankato, the Mavericks are 3-15 against Concordia-St. Paul all-time. This will mark the first time that Minnesota State will see Bemidji State (3-15, 1-10 NSIC) and Minnesota, Crookston (8-10, 4-7 NSIC) in the 2012 campaign. The Mavericks are 29-17 all-time against the Beavers and have not lost to them since 1983. Minnesota State holds a 9-2 all-time advantage over the Golden Eagles.
Looking Back: The Minnesota State volleyball team (14-5, 8-3 NSIC) took to the road as it traveled to Bismarck, N.D. and Minot, N.D. to square off against conference foes the University of Mary and Minot State. The Mavericks downed the Marauders 3-1, Friday evening behind a 17-kill, 13-dig performance by senior outside hitter Chelsea Fogarty (Belle Plaine, Minn.) who recorded her third consecutive double-double. Saturday Minnesota State returned to the court to face Minot State who is competing in its first year of NSIC competition. The Mavericks defeated the Beavers 3-0, which was their third sweep during the 2012 campaign. Minnesota State was once again led by Fogarty who recorded 16 kills while hitting .500.
In the Polls: There is a new No. 1 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for the first time in five weeks as conference foe Southwest Minnesota State jumped one position to the poll’s top spot. A total of five teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference are recognized in this week’s poll including, No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State, , No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, No. 13 Minnesota State and No. 18 Wayne State.
She’s a Freshman!: Freshman setter Ellie Van De Steeg (Hutchinson, Minn.) recorded 53 assists this past weekend against the University of Mary and has recorded 874 assists through her first 19 collegiate matches. Van De Steeg is currently ranked eighth in the country in assists per set averaging 11.65. Collectively the Mavericks rank eighteenth in the nation is assists per set with 12.83 through the first 19 matches of the 2012 campaign.
Over the Jill: Senior middle-blocker Jill Storlie (Byron, Minn.) has been a force to be reckoned with for opposing hitters, Storlie has recorded 92 total blocks during the 2012 campaign, including 13 solo-blocks. Storlie is currently ranked twenty-fourth in the nation in blocks per set with 1.23 and collectively, Minnesota State sits at thirteenth in the nation in block per set averaging 2.45 through 19 matches.
Bump, Set, Stein: Senior outside hitter Courteney Steinhauser (New Ulm, Minn.) is third on the team in kills with 197, second on the team in total blocks with 77, and currently leads the Mavericks in solo blocks with 14 and hitting percentage, she has hit .306 so far this season.
Regional Changes: The NCAA has shifted regions this season. The Mavericks will still play in the Central Region but are now paired with the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Great American Conference.
One For the Record Books: Senior outside hitter Chelsea Fogarty became the fourth player in Minnesota State University Mankato history to post 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs, Fogarty has 1,432 career kills and 1,084 career digs. Fogarty joins Nichole Rose (2000-’03) who had 1,280 kills and 1,036 digs, Ashley Nachreiner (2005-’08) who finished her career with 1,379 kills and 1,036 digs and Jen Jacobs (2000-’03) who holds Minnesota State’s all-time kill record with 1,555 kills and all-time digs with 1,623.
Minnesota State All-Time Kill Leaders:
1. Jen Jacobs (2000-03) 1,555
2. Chelsea Fogarty (2009-Present) 1,432
3. Margaret McCue (1985-1988) 1,425
4. Amanda Beekman (2007-10) 1,417
5. Ashley Nachreiner (2005-08) 1,379
Going for the Kill: Nationally, Minnesota State ranks twenty-fifth in kills per set with 13.55, it is led by senior outside hitter Chelsea Fogarty who averages 3.8 kills per set. Fogarty is currently ranked twenty-ninth in the nation in the same category.
Individual Single-Season Records:
Games Played: 139, Leslie Pederson (1992)
Kills: 499, Kris Wolle (1999)
Attack%: .354, Kimber Kuhl (2009)
Service Aces: 78, Diana Franke (1990)
Digs: 480, Alli Rice (2009)
Solo Blocks: 68, Margaret McCue (1987)
Block Assists: 233, Sara Reul (1992)
Assists: 1,442, Britany Stamer (2009)
Kills by a Freshman: 413, Chelsea Fogarty (2009)
Join the Gang: This year the NSIC officially expanded to 16 teams with the addition of Minot State University and the University of Sioux Falls.
Around the League: The Mavericks are currently fifth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) with a mark of 8-3 in conference play. Currently Minnesota-Duluth, Concorida-St. Paul and Winona State are tied for second with a 9-2 record in NSIC play and Southwest Minnesota State is leading the conference with a 10-1 mark in conference play and 18-1 on the season, the Mustangs lone loss came at the hands of Concordia-St. Paul, Sept. 14, in St. Paul.
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